Nishi no hira
by connerlocke
Summary: It's really no wonder that everything went wrong. A human, gaining one of the top positions at the Western Lands?  Hated by the other demons, eager to solve any puzzle without worrying about the consequences-What could possibly happen next? Sesshomaru/OC
1. Chapter 1

**... ...**

"Alright, all you have to do is make sure that he takes this drink once he wakes up, along with in the morning. His fever should go down fairly quickly, but make sure he gets plenty of rest. He should be fine within the next few days." She nodded, tearing up slightly as she accepted the canister gingerly.

"Th-thank you! Please, is there any way that we can repay you?" I looked around at the shabby hut. The floor was worn, looking like it was going to fall in in some places, and the ceiling sagged downward, like it was going to fall if the wind blew the wrong way. I shook my head. _Probably not._ "There must be something." I waved my hand dismissively, turning to gather my supplies. As I swung my bag over my shoulder, someone knocked at the entrance.

I didn't turn around. "You found me so quickly? You're persistent, I'll give you that." Turning my head, I could make out the armored figure leaning against the doorway. Orange hair glinted in the sunlight, and the man smiled cheerfully.

"That was kind of harsh, poisoning us so that you could make your escape. Took me ages to recover and come after you. Honestly, you didn't even give me the chance to speak!"

"I underestimated you. I expected you to be out at least for another few days." I shouldered my bag and bow, turning to face him. "What about your partner?" He shrugged.

"Still recovering. So, are you willing to listen to our offer now?" I walked past him, heading for the market place, and he followed closely behind, and back in the hut I could hear . "I'll take that as a yes. Well-"

I snorted. "Let me guess. Yet another lord is in need of aid. What is it this time, a birthing that won't occur for several months? A son who was conveniently sick just before his wedding? Oh, maybe they've mistaken me for an assassin and want me to kill someone?"

He blinked. "Someone's actually hired you for that?"

"They tried."

He shook his head as I began browsing through the market place. "No, I've noticed your skills as a healer and wish to employ you on my lord's behalf. We- my partner and I- were wondering if you would join his estate as the head-"

"I refuse."

He raised his eyebrows. "You haven't even heard the offer yet."

"I've heard enough. I don't want to join your little estate just so that your lord can have a higher social status." I lost interest in the stall in front of me, moving on to the next one, looking over the bags on display. I glanced over at my current bag. It really was falling apart...

"You aren't even interested in the lord I'm referring to?"

"Should I be?" I held up one of the bags, examining it. It was well-made, and there were plenty compartments. "How much is this?"

"Well, it'll at least catch your interest. I'm Akatsuki, under the current employ of the Lord of the Western Lands, Sesshomaru."

I paid for the bag, smiling in thanks before continuing through the market. "I already knew who your lord is." I glanced at the red moon and flower crest on his kimono and the pointed ears that were barely noticeable underneath his hair, looking up to meet surprised dark grey eyes. "I have no intention of joining him, sorry." He narrowed his eyes.

"My lord usually wouldn't allow humans to be employed at his castle. You should feel honored for even being considered." I shrugged, considering. The Lord of the Western Lands wasn't well-known for his liking of humans, but he _did_ have an extensive supply of rare medicinal plants. I wouldn't have to search for my own youkai herbs too often, but at the same time, I likely wouldn't last long in a fully youkai community if I didn't pay attention. Still, there _were_ perks to his offer. Along with the chance of being killed violently by demons.

"I'll.. consider your offer. Is that fair?" He nodded in satisfaction, as if I'd already agreed.

He winked, turning to walk away. "Just ask for me when you stop by! Of course, you won't be the only one applying for the position, but if you show up I doubt that you'll fail! Ja ne!" He waved over his shoulder before darting away, toward the forest. I snorted, packing my bag with herbs and heading for the road. As if I'd do something so stupid.

**... ...**

The wind was strong as I stepped over a fallen log, trekking through the thick vegetation. I kept my bow at the ready in case of an attack, walking past familiar landmarks. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw a shadow move, darting behind a tree. Just as it'd done every time I'd turned around for the last few hours. I looked around, turning slightly to continue in the correct direction, ignoring the presence behind me as I followed the stream, frowning slightly as I reached a breach in the trees, the stream flowing through a clearing. I stopped at the very edge of the clearing, frowning. This spot... Had not been here the times I'd gone through this region before.

I narrowed my eyes, looking over the dead grass and blackened trees, going on for several miles. I walked out of the tree line, a could of ash rising as I kneeled, and as it settled I saw something glitter amongst the dust, and I reached down, plucking an object from the ground. It was a sliver from a lightly colored jewel, glittering in the sunlight. I turned it in different directions, watching the light glint off of it, seeming to warp around the shard. I tucked the shard into my yukata with a shrug, glancing around the rest of the clearing.

A loud rumbling began, and I heard a loud roar, trees cracking as something large approached quickly. I drew back and arrow, and an oni broke through the tree line, roaring as I ducked out of the way of an airborne tree. It sniffed, eyes landing on me as it lunged and my arrows bouncing off uselessly. I took off running for the forest , digging through my bag frantically as the oni made a chase, pulling out a canister. I held it up, sniffing slightly and grinning, turning, and throwing it. It roared, jaws locking on the canister, breaking it easily. Nothing happened, and my jaw dropped as it took huge, bounding steps toward me. I muttered, running through the stream and dashing past trees as I dug further into my bag. I grabbed a small pouch, ducking behind a tree to look inside. There was still over half of the crushed herb inside, thank kami. I grabbed a canister, marked with a deep scratch, and grabbed a pinch of the powder, sprinkling it into the canister, hearing the oni sniffing nearby, trying to catch my scent. I covered my mouth as a cloud of smoke began to rise, and slammed the lid back on, hearing the oni growl as he caught my scent, bashing through the trees behind me, while I had to dodge around them.

When it got close enough to attack, I snapped the lid off, dropping the smoking canister on the ground and speeding up, knowing how quickly the effects kicked in and hoping that no one else was this far into the forest. The oni's growls cut off and it choked, falling to the side into the forest with a crash. I continued running, ducking behind a tree and breathing harshly. I sat back against the tree, listening for sounds of the oni recovering and following.

"What was that?" an interested voice asked, and I turned my head sharply to see Akatsuki standing there, a small imp behind him, scowling at me.

"Air toxin. Smells pretty strong to people with sensitive noses, especially when mixed with certain other herbs. You were the one following me?"

He plopped down, legs crossed and a disappointed frown on his face. "_Someone_ didn't show up for the job we were so kind to offer. Naughty Naughty."

I narrowed my eyes, my breaths shorter and more even now. "That was months ago. Why track me down now?" He opened his mouth to reply, but the imp interrupted him harshly.

"Enough small talk! Ningen, you have to come with me, now." I turned my gaze to where he was still standing, raising my eyebrows. He looked little better then a walking toad, wearing a brown kimono and grasping a staff tightly. The staff portrayed two heads on the top, an old man and a young woman, her hair wrapping around the length of the staff, the staff itself nearly twice the imp's height.

"Oh? And why is that?" His scowl deepened.

"Be-because milord demands it! The brat boasted of your abilities, and Sesshomaru-sama demands that you aid with the care of his ill ward!"

"Hm. And I'm supposed to care because...?"

He squawked in anger. "Impertinent wench, how dare you! Sesshomaru-sama deserves your utmost respect, and if he calls on your skills, you are required to answer!"

"Pft, whatever. Goodbye." I rose to my feet, intending to leave. The imp narrowed his eyes in annoyance, lifting his staff and slamming it on the ground. The old man was facing me, and his mouth opened, flames streaming toward me. My eyes widened, and I leapt back, dodging behind a tree to avoid the fire. _What was he _doing_?_ I thought furiously, beating my sleeve against the tree to put out the flames. The fire stopped, and I waited for a moment before looking out from behind the tree. He was on the ground, Akatsuki pinning him to the ground with the staff, an annoyed expression on his face.

"Vassal or no, did you _really_ think that was the best way to get her to go along willingly?" The toad muttered something, his face pressed against the dirt, and Akatsuki leaned down, grabbing him and dragging him away. I watched him say something to the imp, who returned nearly immediately.

"I.. apologize, Hani-sama." He said insincerely, bowing slightly at the waist. "I would greatly appreciate it if you accompanied me to my lord's castle." Akatsuki hit him upside the head with his staff. "Please." He spat out.

Akatsuki clapped, looking cheerful. "Well, I suppose now that that's over with, we should be on our way. Sesshomaru-sama isn't known for his patience. Healer, if you don't mind?" He kneeled, hands stretched out behind him. I scoffed, jogging slightly toward the west.

"As if, youkai. We aren't far, maybe three or four days at the most."

I heard quiet whispers behind me, and someone, probably Akatsuki, sighed. "Sorry Hani, we've got a bit of a deadline." He said, and someone scooped me up, tossing me across their back as the trees blurred past. I yelled angrily, knowing better then to struggle when we were going at this speed. The imp was hanging onto the other demon's arm, and Akatsuki made no attempt to spare him from hitting passing trees, the imp's angry cries not even fazing the demon.

"Alright, what in kami's name is going on?" I yelled over the wind, and the warrior winced at my loud demand right in his ear.

"Like Jaken said, our lord's ward is sick. I told him of your abilities and, despite you being a ningen, he agreed to let you try to heal her, telling us to get you there as soon as possible. You wouldn't believe how many people he's killed because they couldn't help her." He yelled cheerily.

Great. So I had a day and a half to get away or I would wind up in a murderous demon's home. That's perfect.

We didn't slow down for several hours, Akatsuki stopping in a part of the forest that I didn't recognize and letting me stand with an apologetic smile. I glowered, dropping my bow and letting my bag and quiver lie on the ground gently before sitting with my back to a tree.

"Well," Akatsuki said, clapping his hands. "I'll be right back, Jaken will keep you company, Hani. Don't you two go anywhere-!"

He walked away, waving over his shoulder, and we sat in silence for a moment before I broke the silence. "So, I have a question."

Jaken looked up with a wary expression. "Yes, Hani-sama?" He sounded like he was choking on his words, and I felt a pang of annoyance. Honestly, was it so much to hope for them to use my actual name?

"How bad is this ward's condition? It must be pretty severe for your lord to go to such lengths to cure him."

"Pah! The bothersome girl has been complaining of severe headaches and hasn't had as much energy as usual, not eating as much. It only started a week ago, and she collapsed within days of it beginning, waking up only occasionally, with a high fever." I narrowed my eyes, sorting through the different illnesses I'd seen and heard of.

"You said that you'd had others look into her condition?" He nodded.

"Yes, every youkai doctor or healer we could find in the region. None of them could cure her, and we were forced to turn to you, a ningen of all things, to help. The boy said that you were adept in many procedures he'd never so much as heard of, that the cures you make are so full proof that ningens call them miracles. Is that correct?" I shrugged. If you could consider my teachings miracles, certainly.

The imp leaned forward, his eyes glinting slightly. "Know this, Hani-_sama_. If there is nothing but illusions to your 'cures', if you can't heal her... my lord will not be pleased." I rolled my eyes, leaning back.

"I've heard rumors of the herbal stock in the Palace of the Western Lands. Will I be permitted to use it, or do I need to use my own supplies?"

"Don't worry, you will be given all supplies you believe are needed. Sesshomaru-sama will make sure of that." I nodded, staring at the leaves above me.

The entire situation seemed interesting. As far as I knew, the Lord of the Western land had no heirs, and held no affections for anyone. From what little I'd been able to guess, the ward they were speaking of was a human, probably a little girl. For youkai healers to not know what to do, she would have to be human, because they had little care for learning how to cure ningens, and would only try youkai methods of healing on her, expecting the healing to occur fairly quickly. Plus, the little toad made it sound like she ran around a lot, and many of the illnesses I could think of wouldn't have shown signs that quickly, unless she was still very young. I would ordinarily just escape, but this job... it seemed like it would at least hold my interest. I was curious.

Something hit the ground in front of me, and Akatsuki stood there, grinning, over a dead boar, with a pile of wood in his arms. How he'd managed to gather wood, hunt, and bring both back was beyond me, but I smiled back and helped prepare the food. Jaken started the fire, aiming his staff at the pile of wood and enveloping it in the same flames I'd seen earlier. Speaking off... I looked down, scowling at my yukata. The hem was blackened, and an entire section of the right sleeve had been burned away before I could put out the fire. I untucked a black strand of hair, seeing that even some of that was singed, although the majority had been held up and out of the way. I sighed, turning back to the roasting boar, tossing some crushed herbs onto the meat.

"I'll fix it later I suppose." I muttered, and Akatsuki eyed me oddly while the imp looked at the herbs I'd just added suspiciously. I rolled my eyes, grabbing some of the meat and retreating to my tree, making sure that they could see me take a bite as I ate. They watched for a moment suspiciously, before the demons dug in, stuffing themselves with food. I leapt for a bit of the meat, grabbing a little more and wrapping it in a piece of cloth for later, not trusting them not to eat the entire animal.

They finished quickly, and Akatsuki smiled brightly at me. "Well, Hani, we should probably-"

I rolled my eyes. "Enough with the 'Hani' Call me Haruka."

He nodded, grinning slightly. "Alright then, Haruka-san. We should probably retire now. We're going to leave early to make it to the castle as soon as possible." He plopped down next to me, leaning against the tree. The demon seemed to fall asleep immediately, his hand on the sword at his hip. I shrugged, pulling on the comb to let my hair down and sliding off to sleep.

**... ...**

**Translations:**

**Ja ne- See you**

**Youkai- demon**

**Oni- ogre**

**Ningen- human**

**Hani- healer**


	2. Chapter 2

**... ...**

"-san? Haruka-san-! Wake up!" Akatsuki's voice was the first that I heard, something poking me in the side annoyingly. I started, jerking as I woke up and looked around. The demon was smiling widely before me, his sword sheath in his hand, while Jaken stood impatiently nearby. The fire was already out, and the sun hadn't even risen yet, the air crisp and cool. I sat up, twisting my hair up into a bun and setting it in place with my comb, feeling my bangs fall back into my face and a few stray strands fall from the comb.

Akatsuki grinned. "Honestly, I was expecting you to poison us and take off again. I'm glad we didn't have to hunt you down." He smiled, tilting his head to the side in a way that almost seemed to say that hunting me would have been the most reasonable thing in the world, and I shrugged.

"You've peaked my interest." I rose to my feet, hurriedly gathering my bag and weapon. Turning, I frowned when I saw the demon standing in the same pose as yesterday, hands outstretched behind him and waiting for me to climb on. I sighed, holding onto his shoulders as he took off running, the imp yelling angrily as he 'accidently' hit a tree.

We made amazing time, reaching the estate a few hours after sunrise, and I gasped. It wasn't as large as I'd expected, but was still big, spanning several miles and glittering in the sunrise. High walls defended against attacks, the forest cleared away several miles away from the estate forbidding an unseen attack. Turrets rose high in the air, an arched gate the only visible entrance outside the wall. Two youkai guarded the gate alertly, tensing the moment Akatsuki appeared, relaxing only when they recognized him. They nodded, quickly opening the gate, and the orange haired demon shot through the doorway, giving me only a quick glimpse of the inside of the estate as he navigated his way through the halls, finally stopping before an open archway.

It was here, finally, that he let me stand. "I'm sorry Hani, but you're going to have to leave your weapon here. Someone will take them to the armory." Back to using titles, hm? I nodded, handing him my bow and quiver with only a little hesitation.

"Be careful not to let anyone handle them. Poisoned." He raised his eyebrows but didn't comment, and I jumped slightly as a youkai dressed in servants' clothes appeared, taking my bow from Akatsuki and leaving as silently as they appeared. I frowned slightly before Jaken gestured for me to enter the room, the other two following behind closely.

A girl, maybe nine years old, was propped up in a bed, looking pale, her black hair sticking to her face and eyes closed. Several thick blankets were wrapped around her, and she looked up dully as we walked in. A youkai seemed to appear, looking curious, but I ignored him, heading directly for my patient. I let my herb bag drop to the ground, feeling the girl's forehead and checking her heartbeat. I glanced back.

"Do you have any information?" The other youkai stepped forward calmly, his light colored eyes not even fazed.

"Rin-san has a high fever, painful headaches, exhaustion, dizziness, and stomach pains, all of which only worsen as time progresses. Would you like the records of what remedies she's been given?" I nodded, and he handed me a stack of papers. I scanned through the different records, nodding to myself. She'd mainly gotten popular youkai medicines, even before this illness, and would probably react badly to too much pure ningen medicines, even though she no doubt recieved human received in the past and not had it recorded.

She stirred slightly, eyes opening tiredly. "Hello, Rin-san." I said, smiling slightly. "How do you feel?" She looked up with a glazed expression, blinking for a moment before answering.

"My head..." she coughed slightly.

"Okay, well I'm Haruka. Your lord had me come here to make you feel better." I smiled reassuringly. "It's ever so boring her with those guys, though. Would you mind talking with me while I work?" She smiled slightly, still looking miserable.

"Sesshomaru-sama had you come?"

"Yep. I haven't met anyone aside from this lot, though." I nodded toward the three demons, still standing there watching me. I rolled my eyes. "If you aren't going to help, at least stand in the doorway." They did so, still making sure they could see me from the hallway. I turned back to the girl, smiling as I knelt down next to her bed. "Rin-san, can you tell me where you feel bad? Jaken said that you felt dizzy, tired, and that you don't feel hungry. You also said that your head hurt, is there anything else?"

She shook her head. "Alright, did you start feeling bad after you ate something? Maybe something you tried for the first time, or when you were eating with your lord."

She thought for a moment. "I don't remember." she said hesitantly, and I smiled slightly.

"That's okay, I can just ask someone else. Do you mind if I leave real quick and let you get some rest?" She looked disappointed, but shook her head, and I rose to my feet. "Who noticed that she was ill first?"

Jaken stepped forward. "Milord and I noticed originally. She lacked her usual energy."

"You said that was three or four days ago?" He nodded. "What time of the day?"

"Noon, shortly after our midday meal." I nodded, mentally narrowing my list of illnesses.

"You have people checking the food before it's eaten?"

"Yes. That day, I believe that it was checked extra thoroughly, because Sesshomaru-sama was eating with her." At my look, he explained. "Ordinarily, Sesshomaru-sama is far too busy to deal with her at the estate, but he allowed her to eat in his study with him and sit there while he worked." Hm. Several other ideas were tossed in the bin, and I looked up as the fair haired demon from earlier stepped towards me, looking annoyed.

"The ningen's condition can't have been caused by a poison. Sesshomaru-dono would have smelled it immediately if something poisonous was in the food." I shrugged.

"I'm sorry, and you are?"

He puffed up his chest importantly. "I am Akilah, master phamisist of the House of the West." I shrugged, unimpressed.

"May I see your stores of herbs?" The demon blinked in astonishment, While Akatsuki responded.

"Which one?"

I raised my eyebrows, and he explained. "One garden is purely for spices and non-lethal plants, that can be used for cooking. The other one is basically for any plant that can be lethal _or_ used in an herbal remedy, both ningen and youkai. Of course, they're kept separate from each other."

"I want to visit the first garden." He led the way, the other youkai following while Jaken stayed behind. I looked around at the different plants and herbs, growing naturally in organized rows, none of the plants interfering with each other. Two other youkai were there, tending to the plants, and they looked up curiously when they saw me leading the party through the garden. I glanced over the plants, recognizing many of them as spices commonly in youkai dishes. As to be expected, considering.

"What, pray tell, do you think you can learn by looking over common spices?"

"Some spices can double as poisons, if they're mixed incorrectly. Also, the Lord of the Western Lands is fine with only having common spices?"

He snorted. "As if we would be so careless." He ignored my jibe, I noticed with amusement.

"Well, you have a human living with you and don't even no the basics on healing one. That's pretty careless, considering how attached your lord is to her."

He seemed to puff up angrily. "The ningen is merely a passing trend! How dare you insinuate that I'd be lax in my studies." I looked back.

"I'm a human, and have extensive knowledge on how to aid both humans and demons. You _are_ lax in your studies. I take it that you hired him for the position you asked me to take?" Akatsuki nodded regretfully.

One of the herbs caught my attention, and I leaned closer to it with a frown. Something about the leaves..."So, what are the other employees' opinions on Rin?" I saw the warrior shrug slightly.

"It varies. Most just care that Sesshomaru-sama has taken her under his wing, and know better then to mess with her. Besides, you can't help but warm up to her after a while." I nodded vaguely, tilting my head at the bulbs sprinkling the plant. The leaves had a color that was slightly odd, but I couldn't tell what was wrong while the flowers still hadn't bloomed.

"Huh." I grabbed a spring of the flower, getting a few bulbs attached as well, making a mental note to look it over later.

**... ...**

"Tea?" I looked up, meeting the dark grey eyes of Akatsuki, who smiled as he held out a cup. I rubbed my temples, accepting the cup and inhaling the sweet fumes coming from it. The demon sat down on the floor next to me, glancing at the sheath of papers in my lap curiously. "Still going through Rin-chan's records?" I nodded, watching him drink his own tea in large gulps.

I still hadn't figured out the illness the girl had. It wasn't anything contagious, as it'd spread fairly quickly thorough her system, and I would have felt some of the affects by now. I couldn't think of any poisons that didn't exclude a scent that could have done this either, and I was stumped. If I didn't figure this out, no doubt the lord-I took a small sip, frowning at the sweet tang of the tea.

"What is this?" I looked down, seeing that the tea was an odd deep blue color, and saw what looked like flower petals floating in it.

"Some new tea the kitchen's been making. Good, ne?" I took another sip, letting it hover on my tongue for a moment. There was another taste, underneath the sweetness. Almost like- I hit myself in the head, cursing myself as I rose to my feet.

"Of course! Honestly, how did I not notice it before?" I left the tea on the ground, pulling out the spring of the plant I'd taken before. Papers littered the room, but I ignored them, running out the door. The odd colored leaves, the symptoms, the blue tea...

I ducked into the garden, heading directly for the plant I'd seen earlier. Many of the flowers had already been taken, but some of them were just barely blooming, dark blue petals poking into view. I grabbed one of the petals, biting it slightly. A slightly bitter taste filled my mouth, the plant not yet edible, and I turned, meeting the confused face of Akatsuki, who'd, of course, followed me from the room.

"I didn't even consider... But even so, I should have realized!" I muttered. "Where's the other garden? Never mind, my bag's back in the room." I walked quickly for the sickroom, only to be blocked halfway there by him, raising his eyebrows.

"What's going on, Hani?"

"The petals! Not toxic, considered sweet to demons, but has quick effects on humans. No one even considered-" He just looked more and more confused, and I raised my hands in annoyance, shoving past him. I quickly made for my bag, digging through it and pulling out a bound book. I flipped through the pages, all written in my familiar handwriting, stopping at the section I was looking for. I shoved the notes at him, beginning to get together the herbs I needed. I dimly registered that he was gone when I turned around, but concentrated on making the correct remedy. I crushed the herbs quickly, grinding them nearly into a fine powder.

Akatsuki returned quickly with several other people, and I looked over my shoulder at them, recognizing the fair-haired youkai from earlier and Jaken amongst the crowd. "I need some hot water!" A servant left, returning with a steaming cup and handing it to me hesitantly. I gathered the herbs into a bag, dropping it carefully in the cup and waiting. After several minutes, the water was a deep green color, and I took a small sip. I shuddered as the slightly spicy tea filled my mouth. It was nearly ready.

When the tea finally finished, I poured it into a cup I'd found in my bag, walking over to the little girl quietly. Softly, I shook her awake, smiling as her eyes opened slowly. "Hello Rin-san. I'm Haruka, the healer. Remember?" She nodded slowly. "Well, I brought you some tea. Do you mind drinking it for me? It should make you feel better." She blinked, accepting the cup and drinking it. I snapped, digging through my bag and pulling out the meat I'd saved last night. "Here, try chewing on this. It's a little dry, but it should fill you up." I smiled, and she obligingly began chewing on the meat while Akilah stepped forward.

"Ningen, what did you just give the girl?"

"Well, youkai, I gave her an herbal remedy of mine. Trade secret."

He looked frustrated. "Then what was wrong with her? I seriously doubt that a mere human could figure out what a skilled group of youkai healers couldn't." I rolled my eyes.

"Your kitchens' been putting a new flower in the tea to give it more flavor." I held out the spring of the plant I'd taken.

"Yes, I gave them permission to. It's an expensive plant that sweetens tea, and can be used as a spice on food."

"You're a fool." I said bluntly. "How often have they been putting it in the food and drinks?"

"A few days. It only just now arrived." He crossed his arms defensively. "What of it?"

"That flower, the Mumburumu. It's merely an interesting flavor to youkai, but can have devastating effects on humans. You didn't even check for any changes in her diet when trying to heal her?" I rolled my eyes as he sputtered out excuses, turning back to my patient. She'd fallen asleep while I was talking, the cup in her hand tipped precariously. I edged the cup out of her hand, lying it down on the floor next to the bed.

**... ...**

**A/N Well, that's the first two chapters. Sesshomaru will make his first appearence in the next chapter. :3 Please review! **

**Translations:**

**Hani- healer**

**Youkai- demon(s)**

**Ningen- human**

**Mumburumu- Moon Bloom (also, completely made up)**


	3. Chapter 3

**... ...**

It took a few hours for Rin to get sick, but took two days for her to recover enough to leave her bed. During that time, I wasn't allowed to leave the castle for any reason, always in the company of at least one demon, and was only allowed in the room I'd been given- right next to Rin's, coincidentally- and whatever room she was in. As time progressed, she recovered more and more, which was obvious to even the average passerby. Her skin regained it's color, although she was still pale, I was pretty sure that was natural. Her eyes sparkles, and she grinned widely at everyone in sight. She was allowed outside of her room, and she would skip and run down hallways, picking flowers in the main garden. (A third one. Honestly, how many gardens could one place have?)

"Look Haruka-chan!" she brandished a light grey flower proudly. "It's just like your eyes!"

"It sure is Rin-san. You've got a good eye." She grinned and skipped back to where she'd been picking flowers, no sign of illness showing as she sang cheerfully to herself.

I watched her, bored, and fiddling with the burnt parts of my yukata. This may have seemed interesting at first, but now... I'd just been sitting around for days. I was ready to just take off with my bag, continue wandering.

"Wench!" I turned, seeing Jaken standing there impatiently. Apparently I was demoted from 'Healer-sama' to 'wench.' Did the little toad have issues with my name or something? "Your presence has been requested."

"Jaken!" the little girl threw her arms around him, and he squawked indignantly.

"Impertinent girl! Get off!" He swatted at her, and she beamed happily.

"Look at the flower I found!" She brandished a multitude of different flowers, and began showing him each one individually. I heard a chuckle behind me, and Akatsuki smirked as the imp tried to escape.

"Little imp deserves what he gets. You ready to leave, Haruka-san?"

Rin looked up, beaming happily and running forward to hug the demon's legs. "Aka-kun!" He patted her head, and I shook my head at the nickname.

"Hey, Rin-chan! You mind if I borrow Haruka-san for a while? You can show Jaken the flowers you found!" He leaned down conspiratorially. "I heard that he likes those little flower crowns you make." She beamed, skipping back towards the imp.

She plopped down on the ground, beginning to weave together flowers and chattering to the imp. As Akatsuki gestured for me to follow him, Rin yelled. "Bye!" From behind us, waving happily before continuing her work.

The demon waved over his shoulder, and I struggled to keep up with his stride. "Did something happen?" I asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

He grinned. "You've got an appointment with Sesshomaru-sama and his advisors later. We can't have you going in like _that_." He pointedly glanced down at my yukata, one that I'd had in my bag, wearing it until I could replace my other one.

I raised my eyebrows. "And what, pray tell, is wrong with my clothes?" He just shook his head, leading me through the hallways quickly.

**... ...**

I fidgeted, tugging at my new yukata while we waited for the heavy doors to open. Akatsuki had dissappeared into the doors earlier, telling me to wait, the only company a stone-faced youkai guarding the door. She looked slightly familiar, but I couldn't place from where, and I entertained myself by staring at her, seeing which one would look away first.

In the past hour, Akatsuki had made sure that I was clean in every way imaginable, having a maid see to it that I received new clothes, going so far as to have her put my hair up carefully, keeping silent as he led me to the room.

Footsteps approached, and I looked away for a moment, cursing when I heard the guard snicker. She shot me a smug look, as if to say, '_I win'_ and two people stopped next to me

"What are _you_ doing here?" a voice asked incredulously, and I turned to see Akilah, escorted by another youkai, who took his place next to the other guard. I shrugged, turning back to my staring contest with the guard.

After only a few minutes the door opened a crack, and the youkai guards nodded.

"You may enter."

Akilah and I entered, him shoving past me arrogantly to enter first. The wooden doors closed behind us, and I took the brief moment of silence to observe the room.

We were in a large room, with cushions facing each other on both end of the room. Youkai were seated on some of the cushions, it looked like about eight in total, with one seated on the only chair on the far end, two youkai on either side.

He was dressed in fine clothing, like that of a noble, with red flowers going across the shoulder, the white kimono hardly even wrinkled with not even a spot of dirt. He had a spiked pauldron- attached to the armor over his chest- protecting one shoulder, a mokomoko covering the other, and I could faintly make out two katana hilts at his side. He flicked a strand of white hair over his shoulder, cold amber eyes looking us over. Maroon markings slashed across his cheeks and eyes, the crescent moon on his forehead confirming my suspicions.

One of the youkai behind him shifted slightly, and I realized that he was Akatsuki, his face blank. When he saw me looking at him, he winked slightly before going back to his stoic facade.

Both I and Akilah stood, waiting to be recognized by the council. One of the advisors was the first to break the silence.

"Milord, would you like me to begin the meeting?" The white haired demon nodded, and the advisor rose to his feet. "We are here to recognize an issue in one of the servants in this room. Akilah, the head Healer of this castle. Will you step forward?" He did so, looking confused. "It has been brought to our attention that you were unable to aid one of our lord's wards, nearly costing her life. In fact, it seems that you were the _cause_ of her illness, because you allowed a plant dangerous to her to be put in her food. What is your response?"

The demon looked surprised for a moment before saying calmly. "I was unaware of it's effects on humans. There are very few cases of humans possessing this plant, and I didn't realize-"

"And yet," The advisor interrupted. "I'm to understand that a human was able to discover what ailed the girl and was able to cure her, correct?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Will this human please step forward?" I did, looking him in the eye as he asked, "Your name?"

"Haruka."

"You were brought here to help cure Rin-gozen, correct?" I nodded. "And how were you able to find what ailed her?"

I took a deep breath before answering. "Upon arriving, I was told that she had a high fever, painful headaches, exhaustion, dizziness, and stomach pains, and that these symptoms only worsened as time progressed. She'd collapsed after only a day. I was in the room with her for several hours, and didn't begin feeling any of the symptoms, which made me suspect a form of poison. I-"

"Poison? You believe that this was not accidental?" I thought for a moment.

"It's a possibility, but I'm more inclined to believe that it was an accident."

He nodded. "According to a servant near at the time, you managed to learn what the source of the illness was by drinking tea and looking at a flower bloom?" He sounded slightly skeptical.

"Yes, I've heard stories about the Mumburumu, what was used in the tea. It has deep blue petals and large bristled leaves, both of which are sometimes used in youkai recipes. It's very expensive, but tastes slightly sweet to the taste to youkai, and is most often used in tea, making it a dark blue color. The leaves create a more spicy flavor, and are often used as spices in cooking. In small doses, it won't have much of an effect on humans, but is devastating if had too often and not cured. Because Rin is so young, it affected her quickly, and she was ill within days. I recognized the taste of the flower, and confirmed my suspicions when visiting the garden." I was rambling, and tried to finish quickly. "A quick remedy was made, and she's already recovered completely."

"What remedy?" Another youkai asked curiously. He leaned forward in his chair.

"A mixture of crushed bramble vine root, mushroom tree sap, monksroot, and kuko root bark."

The youkai narrowed his eyes slightly. "The mushroom tree and bramble vine are youkai herbs. How did you know her body wouldn't react badly?"

"According to her medicinal records, for the past year she'd received demon medicines. I didn't want to use too many mundane herbs in case she was too used to youkai medicines."

"And where did you get such plants?"

"I kept an eye out when I was wandering." He nodded in satisfaction.

"Could you please tell us what your training as a healer consisted of?"

I blinked, surprised at the change in subject and a sneaking suspicion came to life as I answered, choosing my words carefully.

"I was trained to use both youkai and ningen herbs, and how to deal with injuries and illnesses for both demons and humans. I have the apprentice notes to prove it." Akatsuki stepped forward, holding out my bound book wordlessly, and my suspicion strengthened. The second advisor opened it, scanning over the words and nodding to himself, passing it along.

"She speaks the truth. Her teachings are correct, assuming that she retained what was written." He looked at me, interest glinting his purple eyes.

Another advisor scoffed, his voice slightly raspy. "I doubt that. Ningen are incompetent, this one is no different."

The second advisor shrugged. "Haruka-san, what are the symptoms for poisoning by Trickster's Cap for youkai and what are the ingredients used in the cure for it?"

"Usually, within a few hours of ingesting it the youkai will be in an extreme state of emotion, quickly turning to paranoia, increased heartbeat, and insomnia. After a period of time, the symptoms will seem to disappear, only for the youkai's yoki to lash out violently, turning on the demon and sapping his or her energy until they die from lack of yoki. The remedy consists of a small sliced piece of the Trickster's Cap, myrrh sap, and barbed bloom roots." He raised his eyebrows at the other advisor, who flushed angrily.

"Is that enough of a conformation, Daichi-san?" Said demon hissed angrily.

"She is a filthy ningen! She lies!" The purple-eyed demon snorted, flipping through my notes and turning it so that the other advisors could read what I'd written.

"She said nearly exactly what was written."

Daichi narrowed his eyes. "I won't allow such a.. _thing_ to be allowed in the great House of the West, much less this council. None of the other employees will stand for it, she won't last a week!" My suspicion was confirmed, and I grinned inwardly at the challenge he'd unknowingly given. This meeting was about me joining the staff, and thanks to him there was no way I was going to leave without proving him wrong.

The purple-eyed advisor laughed slightly. "'None of the other employees will stand for it' you say? It was my understanding that it was one of the royal guards that recommended her to begin with. And from what I'd heard, she can take care of herself."

The first demon cleared his throat. "Yes, a recommendation was made by a staff member. Akatsuki-san, would you care to explain?" The orange-haired demon stepped forward, looking around the room before looking the silent white-clad demon right in the eyes. I understood, then, that this entire discussion was trying to convince _him_ that I deserved the position, as Akatsuki spoke strongly.

"I approached Haruka-san for the position initially, but she refused." Some of the other demons muttered amongst themselves, glancing at me curiously. "I'd heard of her reputation as a healer, and that she was capable of healing both humans and demons, moving from town to town, never staying in one place for too long. When my partner and I caught up to her in one such village, she quickly realized that we were following us, and waited for us to speak. When we got close, she managed to incapacitate us with a poison and get several days ahead of us before I managed to recover enough to catch up."

"You see! What's to stop her from doing the same to the other members of this castle?" Daichi asked loudly, and amber eyes flicked over to him and me before going back to Akatsuki, who continued.

"She could easily have killed us, if she wanted to, and even said when I caught up to her that she 'Wasn't expecting me to recover so quickly.' And, while Akilah managed to not only get Rin-san sick, but didn't know how to help her, Haruka-san only needed to stay for a day and managed to figure out what he couldn't in several days. He's a competent enough healer, but Haruka is more experienced for the Head position."

"And what of the problem Daichi pointed out, that she won't be able to defend herself? The position of Head Healer can be vital in certain situations, and it's doubtful that a mere human would be able to defend herself in an attempt on her life. After the death of the late Healer guard, no one has been offered the position yet." One of the other advisors asked, and Akatsuki shrugged, melting back into his lord's shadow.

"That was a good point, and how do we know that she could handle such an important role?"

"It's not just healing skills that are needed, but decision-making skills, leadership skills. How do we know that this ningen has these skills?"

I kept silent as they argued amongst themselves, preferring to just pay attention to how they acted. I scanned over all of them, recognizing that some seemed less resistant to the idea, while most were venomously against it, including Daichi. As I glanced over them, I met the amber eyes of Sesshomaru, who seemed to be watching all of them with a stoic expression.

He held up his hand, and everyone seemed to quiet at once. "Sesshomaru-sama? Have you made your decision?" Daichi asked eagerly, and the daiyoukai looked at him with an annoyed frown, instantly silencing any forthcoming comments.

"Onna." He said, addressing me. "You will be given a series of trials, to test your worthiness of this position. The tests will be examined by the advisors and myself. If you succeed, you will be given the title of Head Healer, and all of the attributes attached to this role. During the first month, if you pass the trials, you will go through a probationary period, during which you will be monitored closely by Ayumu." He gestured towards the purple-eyed demon, who bowed his head slightly. "If you succeed, the role of the Healer's protector will be given to Akatsuki, and the sub-Healer will be Akilah." Several of the advisors nodded, albeit grudgingly, in agreement. "Dismissed."

**... ...**

"So, that wasn't too bad." Akatsuki said cheerfully, and I rolled my eyes. "Honestly, I'm glad that you didn't interrupt, that at least got you _some_ good points. Now all that's left is the test and you'll be fine!"

"You were looking for the promotion." I guessed, and he shrugged.

"Of course, but I'm not the only one getting a good position!" He smiled brightly. "I'm kind of surprised that Akilah was given a position, though." He said thoughtfully. "But you're lucky, he hasn't been here too long, and didn't have the chance to choose any other healers."

"How long are the tests supposed to take?"

"Just a week, but you'll want to take a peek in the library books. You never know what they'll come up with to ask, and some of it won't even be about healing. Some of it is practical, and how to act around higher officials, stuff like that. But don't worry, you'll pass this easily!" He grinned, and I rolled my eyes, wondering how I'd managed to get sucked into this.

**A/N *winces* I'm sorry if you were expecting more Sesshomaru, but he's going to be gradually included into the story. ^_^**


	4. Chapter 4

**... ...**

"Haruka-san~!" The demon yelled, kicking my door open. I jerked awake, falling out of the chair I was in. Akatsuki looked down at my position on the ground, raising his eyebrows. "Why on earth are you down there?"

I rose to my feet quickly. "Is there another test already? I'll be there in a moment!" I scrambled around the room, sliding my fingers through my hair in a vain attempt to brush it. I'd taken several trials- and that's exactly what they were- to apply for the Healer job already, and they didn't give a single care for the time, springing tests at every hour of the day. They'd fire off questions nonstop, about every subject imaginable, almost always a pair of advisors, one writing down my responses with an unreadable expression. They tripped me up in the last test; I mixed up the different social offences that can be made with fox and wolf demons. "But not this time, no sir." I muttered, gathering together my notes, while the warrior just laughed.

"Relax, Haruka-san." I looked up in confusion. His hand dangled something in front of my face, grinning triumphantly. I quirked an eyebrow, hesitantly accepting it. It was a simple but sturdy chain, with a pendant spinning from the bottom.

I held it up to the light, seeing that the pendant was fairly simple, like the chain. It was a metal rectangle, etched carefully with kanji. '_Haruka, Head Healer of the House of the West.'_ My eyes widened, and I looked at him in shock.

"Congratulations, Hani-sama." He grinned. "That's your identification necklace, for entering the castle. Nice, ne?" He poked the necklace, watching the light shine off of it as it swung through the air.

I pulled the chain over my neck, letting the pendant fall down to my chest. I couldn't think of anything to say, and Akatsuki continued talking, clapping his hands and looking around the room. "Well, the Head Healer can't go around living in this room. I'll have your things moved to your new room while we're out."

"Out?" He pulled me to my feet.

"Well, you've got to get introduced to your duties, ne? Get ready, I'll wait in the hallway." I hurried through the motions, and he was whistling when I finally left my room, pulling my hair up into its usual style and holding it up with my comb. The demon made a face, looking me up and down.

"Right, first things first. You need some healer-oriented clothes. You can't be walking around in clothes like _that_ as an official." _You were the one that picked these clothes out. _I thought bitterly as he tugged me along.

**... ...**

I tried not to laugh as the orange-haired demon sighed in disappointment. "All that time and you just come out in the same style as last time." He said, sounding depressed. I looked down at the yukata, fashioned just like the ones I preferred wearing: the hem nearly up to my knees to make it easier to pick herbs, the front slightly longer than the back, brushing the back of my knees, the collar slightly more open than the average yukata, and made out of the least-elaborate fabric I could find, an imprint of the House of the West's seal, a crescent moon with a flower- light green, to show my role as a healer- on the back. Something that Akatsuki seemed to disapprove of.

"You know, for a warrior, you're very concerned about fashion. If I didn't know any better, I'd think-"

He snorted, seeming to already be over my choice in clothing. "Why don't we look around the castle? You're going to need to be able to get around it quickly."

And quickly was how he showed me, speeding along the halls and pointing out every room and its purpose, listing out names given to the areas and rooms. I realized, as we moved around, that the entire castle was very organized, with no more servants then necessary, the entire estate on one floor, and I was able to make a vague mental map easily. The lord's study was slightly apart from everything, along with the council room- where I'd been given my tests- and the lord's private rooms. The guests had plenty of room to the east end of the castle, the kitchens, spice garden, main dining hall, and minor dining hall to the south, the library and ward's rooms close to Sesshomaru-sama's, to the west. The main garden was closer to the north, surrounded by a high wall for safety, with the servant's quarters, guard's barracks, sparring centers, hospital, and my quarters in the center of it all, connected to each room by a main hallway. The secondary garden was connected directly to my room and the hospital, both of which were also closely connected, in case of an emergency.

The hospital had rows of mats going down the wall, with a section in the corner for working with herbs and a table for paperwork, a cabinet in the wall filled with bowls and supplies, and with just a yell I could have a guard or servant there to help me. The garden was amazing, larger than either of the other gardens, with rows upon rows of plants, a constant flow of water coming in, and tarps near the walls able to be pulled over the garden in case of rain. It was like a small forest in some places, with trees and plants growing together perfectly, the entire place made to accommodate the plants' needs. Akatsuki and I sat down on one of the chairs leaning against the walls.

"All of the rooms down this hall are used for private caring for patients, and my room is down the hall, in case you were wondering. So, impressed with your new job yet?" He grinned, fangs flashing, and I nodded. "Well, you should probably learn all about it, so you don't get surprised early on. As the Head Healer, you've got several duties to acknowledge." He absently leaned extremely far back on his chair, balancing easily as I waited for him to fall. "First of all, you have to authenticate all new spices used by the kitchens. Akilah had that job originally, and you saw how that turned out. You also have to attend all official meetings with Sesshomaru-sama and his advisors. Technically, you could say that Ayumu was taking over the role as the Health advisor until your position was filled, but now that's up to you. I have to know if you go anywhere, what with me being your guard in all, but you probably already knew that. You're in charge of restocking our herbs and plants when we start to run low, just mention it during a meeting and they'll give you a budget for buying more. You're allowed, at the most, four assistants or apprentices, and they're allowed only one apprentice themselves. Oh, and you have to be there to greet visitors with the other advisors." Oh, was that all?

He grinned, landing on all four feet with a thunk. "Whew, I think that was it. Blech, so many rules to follow... Yep, that's it." He nodded, looking proud.

"How will I know when a meeting's going on?"

"Ah, they send a messenger at least an hour or so before hand. There's only meetings when Sesshomaru-sama is around though."

I tilted my head to the side curiously. "He's not usually here?"

"Not sometimes. He leaves occasionally with Rin-chan and Jaken, but returns regularly. Oh!" He hit himself in the head. "He also mills around the castle, making sure everyone's doing their jobs and checking up on the employees. Don't be worried if you bump into him." He smiled, as if that was a simple thing.

**... ...**

The last stack of papers thunked on the table, and I sighed. Apparently, the first thing I had to do as the Head Healer is review over medical records, and I'd never been more thankful for the fact that youkai kept such extensive records. It may have taken nearly all day to go over, but I'd finished, making sure to keep the papers organized and neatly sorted on my desk, and the detailed records were a nice change compared to the few and far between records humans kept. More often than not, they just went with what they remembered, leaving huge holes for me to guess at. Here, though...

I put the last stack in the medical chest, locking it securely. I stretched slightly, turning and heading for the garden. The former head had the garden sorted by importance, healing herbs immediately out the door, poisonous ones towards the back. I recognized all of them, the youkai plants first and foremost, with the ningen plants toward the middle, likely not considered as important in comparison. I went down the rows of plants, checking to see which there seemed to be less of. Of course, I was going to have to see myself which ones were used more often, but at the moment there were more than enough of most of the herbs.

From the back of the garden, I heard voices in the other room, and someone yelled. "Healer!" I quickly navigated through the garden, running into the hospital. Several of the guards were being carried in and laid on the mats on the floor, groaning and grimacing in pain. Ayumu and another youkai I recognized as one of the advisors were standing there, waiting for me.

"What happened?" I asked shortly, kneeling next to the closest guard and checking his heart beat. The youkai groaned, looking like he was trying his best not to move.

"Training exercise. Sesshomaru-sama was sparring with some of them." The advisor responded, and I shook my head, grabbing the youkai's arm gently, prodding at the muscles there. He hissed, barring his teeth at me. I ignored him, pulling on his arm to get it to stretch out. He yanked it back, cradling his arm to his body and growling, a red tint going over his eyes. I narrowed my eyes.

"Now stop that." I said sharply, and the demon looked slightly surprised as I turned back to the advisors. "It looks like it's just badly bruised muscles. They should be out of here in no time. How many of them are there?" I looked over the other guards, heading toward the garden when I confirmed that they all had the same problem.

"About thirteen." The advisor said, his voice carrying as I started collecting the herbs I needed. I crushed the herbs, carefully mixing them into a thick paste, scraping it into several canisters and taking over half an hour to make enough for all of them, while the two uninjured demons just watched. I carried one of the canisters and several bandages to the youkai I'd looked over before, and he looked at me warily as I sat down next to his mat.

"I need to put these on your bruises, to make sure that you recover quickly. Or you can do it, if you feel like moving." I waited for the demon to decide, and he narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. I rolled my eyes, slathering some of the past onto my arm to show that it didn't do anything wrong. He looked at something over my shoulder, likely the two demons behind me, and then nodded, slowly. He hissed quietly as I slathered on the paste, his arm jerking slightly. I made quick work of his bruised muscles, moving on to the next guard similarly. All of them treated me with suspicion, but a quick look at the demons behind me and they grudgingly allowed me to do my work. Some growled insults and threats quietly, just loud enough for me to hear, but I ignored them, continuing my job. One, however, was insistent on not allowing me to treat her, no matter what I or the advisors said.

"Don't touch me, filthy ningen." she hissed angrily, shrinking against the wall. I narrowed my eyes at her, hand still held out.

"You need my help if you want to make it to your post later. Quick healing or no, your muscles will become stiff and it will take at least a day, maybe longer, for you to heal on your own. And even then-"

She growled. "I don't care. Just leave me be, I'll heal on my own."

I sighed. "Don't be stubborn. I'll leave you the paste if you want, and you can put it on yourself or have someone else help you." I vaguely realized that she was the female guard that had been in front of the council chamber last week. I remembered thinking that she was familiar at the time, but still couldn't recall from where.

She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I have no intention of accepting anything _you've _made, Dokusatsu-sha." I raised my eyebrows. '_Poisoner?' _

"Er, you realize that I not only put the paste on myself, but have put it on several of your fellow guards, and there's been no negative effect whatsoever, right?" Someone laughed behind me, and I saw Akatsuki standing there, grinning.

"You might as well give it up, Haruka-san. Aoi here still hasn't forgiven you for knocking us out when we tried to talk to you." Ah. So _that_ was where I recognized her from. She was the partner that I'd poisoned so that I could get away, several months ago. Oops.

I glanced back at the smiling demon. "Would you mind convincing her to take the medicine? I don't have to give it to her, but she _does_ need to take it." He nodded, walking over to talk to the female demon quietly while I continued giving the medicine to the other guards. Some merely allowed me to leave the paste there, but most just allowed me to help them grudgingly. Akatsuki met me just as I finished, grinning regretfully.

"Sorry, she's not budging on this." I nodded, considering other alternatives. I could always have Akilah do it, but, to be honest, I _really_ didn't like him. Maybe it was the arrogance, or the fact that I'm pretty sure he was planning on killing me in my sleep. Who knows? I could also drug her and apply the paste while she was asleep, but I suppose that wasn't the most healer-like thing I could do.

"I'll figure it out later." I said, partly to myself, and then turned to Ayumu and the other youkai. "So, should I be expecting something like this to happen regularly?" I gestured towards the guards, some of which were helping each other with the medicine.

"Sesshomaru-sama likes to make sure the guards are performing at their best. He only pushes them to this level occasionally." The advisor shrugged.

"This isn't all that bad, considering what he's done before." Ayumu said. "What do you plan to do about Aoi?"

"Hm. From what little I saw, she has moderate bruises on her arms, legs, and mid-section. I suppose, without the herbal paste, she'll recover enough to leave within two days or so, and will fully recover several days after that. So long as she doesn't try to kill me and nothing else comes up, she can stay here until she can leave." I shrugged, and Ayumu quirked his eyebrows.

"You aren't going to force her to take the medicine?"

"Ordinarily, I probably would have just drugged her and put on the paste myself, but I decided that it wasn't necessary, considering that she wasn't in any immediate danger from a few bruises." The other advisor looked shocked at my confession.

"_Drugged_ her? You would have drugged one of my guards?" He asked, sounding slightly outraged. Ah, so he was the one that would usually be training these youkai.

"Would you prefer that your guards be killed if they've been poisoned but don't accept my remedies?" He opened his mouth to reply, but I just rolled my eyes and continued. "Yes, I _would_ have drugged her, because the moment you brought her in here she was my patient. If you have a problem with that, you can bring it up with Sesshomaru-sama." I smiled slightly, and saw Ayumu nod slightly to himself as I turned around, heading back into the garden to continue cataloguing the herbs.

**... ...**


	5. Chapter 5

**... ...**

"Haruka-san!" Akatsuki yelled from down the hall, quickly walking into the hospital. I hissed slightly at him, rushing from my desk and pulling the demon into the hallway. Hesitantly, I popped my head back into the hospital, sighing in relief as I saw that the guard in the corner was still sleeping lightly. The other guards had left a few hours ago, but she had stubbornly refused to accept the paste, glaring at my back the entire time I was in there, until she finally fell asleep, and I retreated to my room.

"_What_?" I whispered, pulling him further down the hall so that we wouldn't wake Aoi up. He grinned in understanding.

"Sesshomaru-sama and the advisors want you to join them for dinner tonight." He said cheerfully. I blinked. They wanted me to join them? Up until now, I was allowed to just request my food to be delivered to the hospital, so why now..? "Well, technically only Sesshomaru-sama requested your presence. Only one or two of the other advisors will be there, so you won't have to worry about them too much." He grinned brightly.

"Sesshomaru-sama asked for me to show up?" He shrugged.

"Rin-chan's been asking about you. She'll be there as well- she gets to eat with Sesshomaru-sama occasionally." I nodded, accepting the summons.

"Alright then. How long do I have?"

"Maybe... half an hour? Just long enough to get cleaned up!" He smiled widely, and I looked down at my clothes. The hem of my yukata was covered with dirt and mud from kneeling in the garden, and my hands were stained with ink. I'd been keeping myself busy through the night and during the day, and it showed. I sighed.

"Right, I'll be back in a moment." I hurriedly changed and washed my hands and face; no need to lower our dear lord's opinion any more then necessary.

I looked over my reflection in a pail of water, pulling my hair out of its usual half-bun and looking down at the still water. "Hm, my hair's getting a bit long." I muttered to myself, tugging on a lock of black hair. I glanced down at the silver comb in my other hand. The simple engravings were still as elegant as they'd been back then, I thought, eyes unfocusing as I stared.

_She held out the comb, her eyes narrowing slightly when I didn't accept immediately. "I made it myself; it would be rude not to take it." She said, a slightly dangerous undertone tinting her cheerful smile. Hesitantly, I took it, turning it over in my hands. Elegant swirls were crafted into the metal, the occasional jewel shimmering amongst the swirls, the teeth shorter than most combs. I twisted my hair up, holding it in place with the comb, and swung my bag over my shoulder. _

_"Thank you, Sensei." Those words seemed to seal my decision. No name, no casual honorific, and she nodded, looking slightly sad. I slowly turned, making sure not to seem too eager to leave. Even at that age, I knew better then to seem happy to leave. That would be asking for an early death, knowing how temperamental she could be._

_"You better come to visit often, my chisana neko!" she whispered in my ear, sounding like she was right next to me, but when I turned, she was already gone._

I jerked at a knock on the door facing, and turned my head slightly to see Akatsuki standing there, watching me curiously.

"You ready to leave, Haruka-san?" I nodded; casting the memory to the back of my mind and pulling my hair up, keeping it in place with the comb absentmindedly. Dark eyes watched the familiar motion, but he didn't make a comment as we walked to the main dining area.

The dining hall was fairly simple, a long table taking up the middle of the room, with chairs, rather than the cushions placed in the council room. Several tapestries hung on the walls, merely simple designs, and a closed door was in the far wall, no doubt leading to the kitchens. Four figures were already seated close to the head of the table, and Akatsuki gestured for me to sit on the second chair from the head, and I surveyed the rest of the table warily. Ayumu flicked a lock of brown hair away from his face, smiling slightly before continuing his discussion with the blue haired demon next to him, discussion some sort of treaty with the southern lands. Rin bounced in her seat next to me, looking excited.

"Haruka-san! You're here!" She beamed.

"Hello Rin-san. Sorry I haven't come to visit you lately." I smiled, and she began chattering happily about everything I'd missed for the past few weeks. None of the other advisors joined us as we waited for the food to arrive, and I glanced over at the head of the table.

The lord didn't look any more relaxed then he had the last time I'd seen him, listening to the conversations around him with a stoic expression. He met my gaze blankly, narrowing his eyes slightly in a silent challenge. I dropped my eyes, nodding respectfully and turning my attention back to Rin. I knew that, in this case, not to challenge his authority, and realized that I'd just reverted back to the careful manner I'd used during my apprenticeship. Back stiff, eyes turned downward, not speaking unless spoken to. I mentally scowled before paying attention to the girl in front of me.

As we talked, the door in the corner opened, and a line of servants exited, holding steaming platters of food. The conversations continued as the other members of the table began to eat. Rin continued talking, mostly ignoring her food as she talked excitedly.

"-and then Sesshomaru-sama kicked Jaken, and he fell on the ground!" Rin said, beaming, and I laughed.

"Really? That must've been a funny sight." she nodded.

"Rin." Sesshomaru said, and the girl immediately turned her attention to him, smiling widely.

"Yes, my lord?"

"You need to eat. The onna can speak to you once you're done." She nodded, obediently beginning to eat. The lord glanced at me, looking bored, before going back to his conversation with the two advisors.

I turned to my plate, sniffing the food slightly and taking small bites as I listened to the two men across the table.

"...negotiations should be made soon. Hibiki-sama may feel threatened if we don't try to contact him soon." Ayumu said, turning to look at his lord. "Sesshomaru-sama, what are your plans for the south?" Inwardly, I was surprised at his outright questioning the daiyoukai, and was even more surprised when said demon replied.

"He will be addressed when the other lords come to visit during the Solstice." Ayumu nodded, leaning back in his chair. Hm. The Summer Solstice? I knew that it was often celebrated by both humans and youkai, but I hadn't heard any mention of it around the castle until now.

"You don't plan to have him arrive earlier? From my understanding, you and he don't have the best relationship. He could be a problem if you make a move to challenge him directly during the banquet."

"If that occurs, I will address the problem. For now, he won't be given any special treatment." Sesshomaru said bored, and I noticed that, as he ate, he only used his right arm. The other sleeve just hung there, unmoving, and I frowned. His records hadn't been as detailed as the others- the former healers not feeling a need to address any health problems that he'd managed to heal himself. Aside from a few vague mentions of a wound during battle and possible treatments if he experienced problems, I couldn't find many recent medical records. I made a mental note to ask Akatsuki about that, and absently continued eating.

"My lord, there is another matter we need to address." The other demon said, and the lord sighed.

"Can it not be brought up at the next meeting, Kaito?"

"It could. The youkai surrounding the castle seem to be gathering. I would recommend sending out some of the guards to dispose of them before more powerful ones are drawn there. If they are allowed to continue gathering and all swarm the castle, it could be disastrous."

The daiyoukai paused. "How dangerous is it currently?" Kaito shrugged.

"Not extremely, but they seem to be gathering for one specific purpose. What that is, we aren't sure."

"Bring this up if the situation seems to worsen considerably." He said simply, and the other demon nodded, bowing his head slightly. "Hani." I looked up sharply, meeting narrowed amber eyes. "You will eat with Rin often." He didn't explain his order, but I nodded. I mused on the fact that a few complaints from Rin was all it took to make the Demon of the West take action as I continued eating.

And that was how the next few days passed. I would join Rin at dinner or in the garden occasionally during the day, and she would chatter happily about anything that came to mind. Few youkai showed up in my hospital, so Rin actually wasn't taking up too much time. If I didn't show up immediately, the little girl would skip into my room or garden with Jaken or Akatsuki, and I would follow her to wherever she wanted to go. In those days, I managed to make a stock of the herbs in the garden, and kicked Aoi out of the hospital when she was capable of moving. A few days, it seemed, were all it took for the situation Kaito had been concerned about to escalate.

**... ...**

"Message for you, ningen." A guard said, looking like he was trying not to sneer.

"Oh?" I turned back to the papers in front of me, scanning over them absently.

"Your presence is requested in the council room." He sounded like he was gritting his teeth as he waited.

"And what about Akatsuki?"

"Your guard has already been informed and will meet you on the way." I shrugged, taking the papers and returned them to the medical chest, locking it and tucking the key into my yukata. I was right; there was no mention of the lord's arm in the late healer's notes. I'd found them hidden amongst the other documents no one had gotten rid of on the desk, and leafed through them briefly. It was interesting, but not all that important at the moment.

"Alright then. Let's go, shall we?" I gestured for him to lead the way, and he scowled, but obliged. He navigated through the hallways easily, stopping and taking his place next to another guard before the council room.

Akatsuki stepped behind me, pushing slightly. "Some of the others have already arrived, go on." I walked through the doors, keeping my head up as I looked around.

Very little about the room had changed, the same seats scattered around the room, the other advisors talking amongst themselves, our lord looking bored at the head of the table, not saying anything as he listened to the conversations around him. Kaito and Ayumu sat the closest to him, and the former smiled openly, nodding over to a seat close to the middle of the table, a light green flower adorning it for my station. I sat down gingerly, Akatsuki melting into the shadows behind me as I listened to the polite chatter around me, noticing the subject changes the moment the other advisors noticed my presence. Some shot me wary glances, but otherwise didn't comment as they waited for the other members to arrive. As the tenth advisor sat down, silence fell. Kaito rose to his feet.

"Milord, may I start the meeting?" This was apparently a ritual for these meetings, as Sesshomaru nodded bored. The blue-haired demon turned. "As I've told Sesshomaru-sama, demons have been gathering near the castle."

"And just how is this different from the usual? Youkai are allowed to gather in the forest as much as they please." another advisor droned.

"Perhaps I used the incorrect word. They've been… _swarming_ in the area around the castle. Lately, enough youkai have gathered around the castle for me to feel slightly worried. This morning, I sent a scout into the forest, and he reported that there were enough demons to lead an attack on the castle, and that they've attacked several villages in the western lands, razing them to the ground."

"Do they attack under any symbol?"

"I'm not sure; if they are they aren't flamboyant with their master's sign."

"And what do you recommend?" a different demon said, leaning forward.

"Sending out some of our soldiers to dispatch them. If they attack, depending on their strategy, they might have a chance-"

Another advisor laughed loudly. "Kaito-san, I believe that you've gone mad in your young age. No matter how many of them there are, a group of weak demons could never penetrate our defenses!"

"What's odd is," Kaito explained, looking annoyed. "that it's not _just_ weak demons. They're being controlled by a very powerful demon, maybe more than one. It- or they- are using the other demons to conceal their own yoki levels. I believe that there are enough high-powered youkai to attack this castle and do serious damage. Of course, they wouldn't win, but the damage would leave the House of the West more open to future attacks."

"Are you certain that they plan to attack? What strategy are they going to attempt?" The advisor demanded, narrowing his eyes.

"We aren't sure on either. The lower level demons are mixed, but because of how well the more powerful ones are concealing themselves, we didn't even realize they were there until yesterday."

Murmurings erupted amongst the advisors.

"What are the odds of casualties in the soldiers?" another youkai asked.

"High." Kaito said regretfully. "But if some of us went, those odds would be-"

"Ha! You expect some of us to do grunt work?" A green haired demon guffawed. "Haruki is right- you've gone mad!"

The blue-haired demon narrowed his eyes. "If some of us don't, the castle will be just as defenseless as it would be if we allowed the demons to outright attack us."

"Akihiro, Kaito." the two demons froze, turning to the head of the table."

"Milord?" "Sesshomaru-sama?" they asked, and he held up his hand.

"Kaito is correct. Eiji, Ayumu, and Akatsuki- you will accompany me and a group of soldiers to the hostile youkai and we shall eliminate them." They nodded, and the lord glared coldly as the other advisors began to complain. I didn't ignore the considering look Ayumu shot me when he heard Akatsuki's name mentioned, and I sighed, understanding. So I was going to have to assert myself as the healer, hm?

"Milord." The other youkai turned to look at me in shock and anger, but I kept my eyes centered on the amber eyes staring me down. "From what Kaito-san has said, would it not be best if I came along to give aid? Odds are, you may not return here quickly enough for me to treat the wounded."

The other youkai that Sesshomaru had decided to bring scoffed. "Sesshomaru-sama, the ningen Hani has no experience in a battle-"

"That's incorrect." Ayumu said, leaning forward with a bemused expression. "Do you not remember? Akatsuki-san described her taking out both he and his partner with an advanced poison. She'd be useful in battle if she went ahead." Kuso. I tried not to fidget as the daiyoukai raised an eyebrow.

"There would be no way for me to release an airborne toxin that wouldn't affect yourselves and the soldiers. However, if attacked, I would be able to hold my own, yes." I said, maybe a little too quickly, and the lord nodded.

"Onna, you will accompany us."

"But Sesshomaru-sama-" he tried to cut off the complaint with a glare, but the advisor pressed on. "I'll admit that the Hani seems competent enough for her post, but all ningen are the same. The moment the battle begins, she will run, to spare her own life."

I shrugged. "Most humans are like that, I'll admit. But isn't the point of my position to treat members of the House of the West?" **Among other things.(?)** "I don't intend to give up on a patient, and the moment the battle begins I'll have plenty of youkai to treat." None of them looked convinced, and I sighed. "If I can't do this much, I'm obviously not competent enough for my job, correct? And why would I have volunteered for something I didn't intend on going through with?"

Another advisor snorted. "As if we could trust the word of a ningen."

I felt my annoyance spike, and ignored him, turning my attention to the white-clad lord. "Milord, do you intend on bringing me or not?"

"You will come, Hani. Be awake at sunrise, if you don't arrive in time you shall be left behind." I nodded, and with that the meeting ended.

**... ...**


	6. Chapter 6

**... ...**

I carefully placed the small canister in my pouch, casting one last look around the hospital before slinging my bag over my shoulder. I'd packed it early this morning, and everything I needed was being taken. I navigated through the castle quickly, entering the courtyard quietly and looking around. Several guards- five or six at the most, depending on how many more hadn't yet arrived- were milling about the space, chatting quietly and checking their supplies. Ayumu and the other advisor- Eiji?- we're talking close to the gate, weapons at their sides but no supplies. Eiji shot a bored glance in my direction, but otherwise didn't react as he resumed his conversation.

I recognized several of the guards, and one or two nodded grudgingly before continuing their duties as I passed, stopping across the courtyard from the two advisors. I looked up at the still-dark sky, the first traces of light beginning to show itself. Just as the sky lightened and the sun rose over the horizon, the final members of our group arrived. Sesshomaru strode out of the castle, pausing for a brief moment to scan over the group, looking directly at everyone. While everyone was busy looking at their lord for instructions, Akatsuki appeared next to me, seemingly out of nowhere. The lord finished looking over the group and nodded slightly, walking just as quickly as before toward the gates, and the guards opened it obligingly.

The daiyoukai walked through the gates without a single word or order, hair streaming behind him. Eiji and Ayumu followed immediately, making sure to keep a respectful distance as they walked side-by-side. Akatsuki pushed me slightly, and I hurried to follow the youkai, hearing the guard's footsteps behind us. I matched my steps with the others, keeping up with little difficulty as we walked briskly after Sesshomaru. Gradually, the conversations amongst the guards and advisors resumed, all in hushed tones, as we crossed the open field and into the forest.

I walked silently, musing over the lord I was currently employed by as I stared at his back considering. I still hadn't decided if he was actually a good lord to follow. He never showed his thoughts to others around him, usually looking more bored then anything. Everything he did had some kind of ulterior motive- like yesterday. He'd made sure not to include my name in those coming, despite the fact that it was my job to be present during situations such as these to help the guards that were wounded, and made me choose to step further into my role as the healer. _Clever_. And yet, despite how cold he acted the majority of the time, and the reputation he'd gained for his ruthlessness, he was wrapped around a little human girl's finger. She was devoted to him, and the entire staff seemed to at the very least have a sense of respect for him, some even going so far as devotion. The daiyoukai made sure to make things convenient and practical in his lands- advisors present to monitor things when he wasn't around, keeping everything close together and organized in his castle. He made sure that everyone did what they were meant to, going from station to station to ensure this. Of course, he hadn't done such to me yet, but-

The white-clad lord in question turned his head slightly, continuing to walk as amber eyes looked directly at me coldly. For a moment, the identification necklace seemed to cool drastically, and I nodded respectfully. His eyes narrowed, but he didn't make a comment as he turned to look at the path ahead of us. There was a story behind him, and I'm willing to bet that it's an interesting one. I directed my attention towards the sky, now with no traces of the night as the sun slowly rose, light coming in through the tree canopy.

"-sama? Hani-sama?" I turned, blinking as Akatsuki peered at me in bemusement. "So you've finally returned to this world. I got something for you~!" He held out a familiar bow and quiver, which I accepted cheerily. I checked to make sure the quality of the weapon was still good, and grinned as I slung both over my shoulder.

"Thank you. And here I'd been expecting to never see these again!" Akatsuki held up a hand.

"Now wait a moment, Hani. Just because I gave you this _does not_ mean that you can go jumping into every fight that comes your way. Self defense only, understand?"

I rolled my eyes. "That's a given. I'm a healer, in case you've forgotten."

Eiji looked back, sniffing slightly. "What kind of hani uses poisoned weapons?" He asked incredulously, and I shrugged.

"The kind that enjoy living. I don't have to do much damage with a bow, just nick people. I traveled quite a bit, and had to have some way to defend myself against bandits and the like." He looked horrified, and I heard a few of the guards behind us mutter slightly.

"And what if you 'nick' someone helping you?"

I sighed. "Honestly, what kind of a healer would I be if I didn't know the cure my own poisons?" He looked doubtful, but didn't comment. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Akatsuki shake his head, and continued walking in silence. The sun rose higher and higher in the sky as we followed the young lord, no one complaining or faltering, and nothing happening for some time.

When the sun was beginning to sink back into the sky, Sesshomaru stopped. He didn't move for a moment, before his hand went to one of the katanas at his hip, and the trees stirred around us. Akatsuki's eyes narrowed and the first wave of demons attacked.

I ducked down wisely, gritting my teeth when I realized that I couldn't escape like I usually did. I grabbed my bow, reaching into my pouch with the other hand as the fighting began furiously around me. I watched alertly for any demons to get through Akatsuki, who seemed to dart everywhere at once, killing the weaker demons with an impassive expression. The other guards and advisors did the same, taking out the seemingly-endless number of demons easily, few of them being outmatched. It was the lord, however, that caught my attention the most.

I watched in shock as he lashed out, blue yoki turning any demons in its tracks to nothing but ashes, twisting through the air and destroying trees casually, a huge display of his power. As a larger group attempted to surround him, his expression didn't even change as the yoki from his sword took shape, exploding outwards from him in a flash of pure energy. He slaughtered them easily. Truly, his name did him credit.

My attention was wretched from my employer as one of the guards yelled out, hitting the ground with a thump, barely in my line of sight through the trees. I immediately rose from my crouched position slightly, narrowing my eyes as the guard killed the nearest demon, face twisting in pain.

"Akatsuki!" I yelled over the clamor of the battle, and his dark grey eyes darted to me for a moment to show that he'd heard before returning to his opponent. I rose to my feet, dashing through the fight as quickly as I could, going directly for the guard. There was still time... I noticed one of the weaker demons dive, hoping to take advantage of the guard's weakness, and notched an arrow, firing automatically. The arrow barely even grazed the demon, but that was enough. It hit the ground, hissing, the arrow hitting a tree several feet away, and I sprinted for the fallen guard, kneeling next to him as the battle continued around us.

"Tch." Deep slashes went across his torso, ripping through the armor and digging into his side. Red-tinted green eyes narrowed at me as I assessed the wound, and he growled slightly when I tried to move him. I ignored the warning, pulling lightly. "Move or we're both dead." I snapped, and he grudgingly assisted me as I tugged him a bit further away from the fight. Digging through my bag, I pulled out several already-made remedies out, along with a roll of bandages. Turning to the youkai in front of me, I glanced over the armor.

It was completely shredded, both the thick metal and the kimono underneath it damaged irreparably. I tugged on the armor gently, and the demon hissed, his eyes tinting further. I grimaced. This was going to be difficult. Carefully, I worked at the metal as quickly as possible, prying it off as I inwardly hoped that the guard was in check of himself enough to not attack. I undid the buckles, hefting the chest piece off, nearly dropping it from the weight. They walked around _all day_ with this on? I dropped the ruined metal and cloth that'd come with it on the ground without a second thought, wincing as I looked over the wound further.

If anything, it seemed worse without the armor, and I immediately went to work. I opened one of the medicine canisters, smearing some of the thick paste on a bandage and helped the demon sit up.

"Alright, so how's your day going?" I asked as I began wrapping the bandage securely around his torso, and he shot me an incredulous look before hissing quietly as the paste hit his wound. "Really, just talk while I work on this. You don't want to fall asleep and never wake up again, right? So... how about a name?"

"Itsuki." He growled, annoyance coloring his tone.

"Well, nice to meet you. I'm Haruka, sorry if you expected something grander then I."

He ignored me, claws digging into the ground. I winced inwardly in sympathy, knowing that he probably didn't feel the healing effects at this precise moment. It helped kill any infection that may have started, and would increase the rate of healing, leaving little more than a scar afterward. When first applied, however... I tightened the bandage, and he growled warningly. I looked him over considering, not seeing any other wounds that needed immediate treatment. At that precise moment, a tree nearly exploded near us, and the sounds of the battle finally reached me again. I hadn't even been paying attention. Akatsuki turned his head, temporarily without an opponent.

"You done there, Haruka-san? About time!" He killed an attacking demon, and I scanned over the rest of what was soon going to be considered a clearing. Maybe Rin could have a fourth garden, I thought distantly, spotting another wounded guard across the battle field.

"Well, so long Itsuki. With any luck, I'll see you once this mess is over with." I darted through the fighting demons, treating those of the guards that fell and pulling them out of the way.

It was as I was making my way through the battle for the fourth or fifth **fime** that what little trees remained nearby crashed to the ground, and several huge demons roared nearly simultaneously. Some had spined wings growing out of their backs, swooping down at the fighters and cawing, while others leapt to and fro quickly, limbs bent unnaturally and they attacked. I darted behind fighters as the guards attacked with a renewed fury, Akatsuki at my side. Suddenly, a demon collided with us from behind, tossing Akatsuki into the fray as a clawed hand wrapped around me tightly.

I was pulled into the air, barely able to breath as the jointed fingers gripped me tightly, feeling my bow shatter under the pressure. My hands were pinned at my sides as the youkai roared right next to me. I watched in horror as my bag lay on the ground, the strap having broken as the demon grabbed me, and I couldn't reach the poisons in my pouch. Akatsuki and several others began their counter attack, and the youkai swung the hand clutching me at them warningly. The stream of mental profanity would have made a priestess blush as I was hit against the ground like a doll, and I blinked through the dizziness spawned from that attack to make what I hoped was a menacing glare at Akatsuki.

The warrior darted around the demon clutching me, trying to find an opening. The youkai used its other hand to bat him away, and I felt no small amount of panic as I was crushed even tighter, with barely any amount of air. One hand was slightly free, but no matter how I tried I couldn't reach the pouch filled with poisons at my side, and I gritted my teeth. Some distant part of my mind wondered if my eyes were literally popping out of my skull as the thing's grip tightened further, and grey spots filled my vision as I began to run out of air.

Suddenly, a flash of light slashed through the demon, cutting it almost entirely in half as blue yoki burned the two halves. Another stroke and the hand clutching me was sliced open, someone catching me as I began to fall. I looked up in surprise, meeting amber eyes and seeing the familiar demonic markings of Sesshomaru. I caught the faintest trace of annoyance before I was dropped unceremoniously on the ground, landing on my chest with a loud thump, barely heard over the sounds of battle. I grunted, nearly rolling several feet before I managed to stop, mentally cursing the demon lord angrily as I rose to my feet. I made a mad dash for my bag, going back to my former job, albeit more carefully than before.

The rest of the battle seemed to flash by quickly, with me trying my best to stay out of the line of fire as demon after demon fell. Finally, a few of the demons slumped against trees, exhausted from the battle. Sesshomaru stood in the middle of the newly-formed field, looking around stoically before sheathing his weapon. The guards and advisors sighed in relief, and I went to each of them, treating them when needed and passing around muscle relaxers and drinks that returned energy to all of them. The guards that I'd treated during the battle nodded with a small amount of... was that respect? And several formed a campsite right there, dragging the demon corpses away to eliminate the smell.

The sun hadn't sunk completely, and two demons returned with game that they'd hunted easily, the others cheering, spirits high from their victory. I wiped my hands on my ruined yukata- which would be burned when I had the chance- and looked around. I'd already treated the majority of the wounded- including Eiji, surprisingly- and most were gathered around the fire, waiting for the meat to finish. The last one I needed to treat, however...

The demon lord looked up coldly as I approached, not even waiting for me to get within a few feet before saying, "I have no need of your help, onna. Leave me be." I stopped, glancing over him considering. He was powerful enough for most wounds to heal fairly quickly, but even so- I dug through my bag, pulling out a roll of bandages and a small canister of the paste. Honestly, I was surprised that I'd made enough for the battle.

I walked a few steps closer and knelt on the ground a few feet away from the lord, laying the two objects on the ground gingerly. "The paste will help with any infections or wounds that won't heal correctly. If the injuries you received don't heal, apply the paste to the bandages and place it on the wound, reapplying the bandages at least twice a day." Just from what I'd noticed with him, he didn't seem to trust most people. It made sense that, with my not even having the role as healer for a month, he wouldn't want to reveal a weakness to a stranger. I kept still as he scrutinized me, waiting for his permission to move.

He nodded slightly, turning to look away. As I rose to my feet, he spoke with a blank tone, not looking in my direction. "Onna, it's more careless for you to ignore your wounds then I." I stopped, turning to look at him curiously before nodding and returning to the guards. I stumbled halfway to the group, frowning as the dizzy feeling began to pass. I frowned. Perhaps I _should_ take something... No. Only if I begin to feel worse, I promised mentally, sitting down gingerly near the fire.

I deadpanned when I realized that nearly all of the food they'd been cooking was gone, and I shook my head. At least they were fine enough to eat. I reclined back, using my bag as a pillow of sorts as I stared up at the sky. There were still traces of sunlight showing in the dark orange sky, and I listened to the sounds of the celebrating youkai around me as the night wore on, few of them sleeping throughout the night.

**... ...**

I tried not to wince as I slung my bag over the opposite shoulder, keeping my pace even with the advisors ahead of me, my head pounding. I'd decided, unable to sleep, that I didn't have a concussion, and didn't need any remedies. I finally resigned myself to not getting any rest close to the morning, rising to my feet and checking on the other youkai, rebinding wounds and telling only a few that they would need to stop by the hospital before resuming their duties. Those that I told nodded grudgingly; casting me suspicious looks as I replaced their bandages. Well, the small amount of respect I'd gained didn't seem to have lasted long. I'd found what remained of my bow just before we left, leaving the shattered remains on the ground and retrieving my arrows. I would have to snitch one from the armory next time we had to leave.

I kept my head down, staring at the feet in front of me as I mentally yelled at myself for not having gotten a remedy for the mind-splitting headache I'd developed during the night. I may not have gotten a concussion, but that didn't mean that my head didn't hurt from being banged against the ground like a doll yesterday.

"Ne, Akatsuki." I said, only just now remembering. "Should I be expecting a celebration of some kind during the Solstice?" The demon looked down, surprised, before shaking his head ruefully.

"Sorry Hani-sama, I completely forgot about that. Three weeks up until the Summer Solstice, the other demon lords and their advisors will arrive, and stay at the castle for a while. It's to show that the Western Lands has nothing to hide and is willing to show their peaceful attitudes toward the other lands."

I tilted my head to the side, "Why does the Western Lands in particular have to do this?"

"The other lords have to do the same. Every season a different lord will do such. Summer just happens to be our turn." He grinned. "By the way, I should probably warn you: Each lord will be bringing their own hani, and you'll have to let them stay near you and cooperate with whatever they say."

I frowned, but didn't comment. So the moment my probationary period was up, I'd have to take part in some bureaucratic nonsense? Perfect.

"Don't worry; you'll hear more as time goes by." The demon said cheerfully, flashing a wide grin. I nodded, turning my attention toward the ground for the rest of the trip. If anything, my headache became more pronounced as we continued walking.

**... ... **

**A/N I know, I know, it's been to long. But, to make up for the wait, here are THREE whole chapters! :3 I'd like to thank my beta, Anonymousnyancat, for EVERYTHING! Also, thank you Nizuna Fujieda, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, dorko525, and Ironhide and Lennox for your reviews! :D For the rest of you- PLEASE REVIEW! You can even bash my story if you want, just give your honest opinion! ^_^ **


	7. Chapter 7

**... ...**

"So you're still alive." Akilah said with thinly-veiled dissapointment, and I rolled my eyes as I dropped my bag gently onto the floor.

"Really, there's no need to sound so dissapointed." I turned, raising my eyebrows as he slowly backed away from my desk. "Care to explain what you're doing?"

He shrugged. "I was hoping you'd died or ran away so that I could have my stolen position back." At least he was honest. "It's a pity that neither of those seems to be the case."

"Isn't it though? Some guards should come in soon- could you tell them to choose a mat?" He didn't nod, but knew that he would listen, if only to make it seem like he did more in the hospital then I did. I quickly went to my room, changing and washing off the grime that had gathered in the past two days. When I reentered the hospital- now signifigantly more cleanand in a new yukata- at least five guards were already there, including the blue haired Itsuki, now sporting a new breastplate and kimono.

I methodically checked the bandages of each demon, nodding in satisfaction at the rate of healing. "Alright, just take these bandages off at the end of the day and you should be fine. Come back if you begin feeling odd." I instructed, applying medicine to the last of them while the others put their armor back on and left. The last demon- Itsuki, as fate would have it- nodded, turning wordlessly to lift his breastplate over his head.

As I turned to write out my treatments on their medical records, he spoke up from behind me. "Ningen."

I didn't turn. "Yes, youkai?"

"Wy did you accept a position here?"

I shrugged, moving on to the next paper. "There's a good store of herbal plants here, and I wouldn't have to go searching for specific plants as often. Plus, I certainly won't get bored." I added as an afterthought.

"And you couldn't find either of those at a ningen lord's estate?"

"Ningen lords don't have nearly enough skilled warriors to protect their estates. I'd have a new lord every week with how many wars they have going on, would not have _nearly_ as good a supply of herbs, and this place makes me curious." I listed, glancing back over my shoulder.

"Curious?" he tilted his head to the side.

"The rumors I've heard of this place don't do it credit. The lord acts completely different from what I'd expected, to be honest." I leaned against the table as he leaned against the opposite wall, seeming ot be in no hurry to leave.

"Sesshomaru-sama? In what way is he different?" I stared at the ceiling consideringly.

"He... based on what I'd heard- from both humans _and_ demons, mind you- I was expecting someone ruthless, who doesn't care for anything but his own well-being, and utterly _despises _humans. And yet he adopted a young human girl, and gained the full respect of his entire staff. All of you don't just follow him out of fear- you actually _want_ to serve him. It's interesting." I shrugged, turning to look into the shadows. "So, did I pass, Sesshomaru-sama?"

The white-haired demon stepped out of the doorway smoothly, staring at me blankly. I figured that he or someone else was listening- why else would one of the guards stay behind to talk to me? He didn't say anything, leaving with a brisk nod, closely followed by Itsuki. I shook my head.

I still hadn't figured the lord out.

**... ...**

A week passed. I hadn't been wrong about hardly ever being bored, there was always something to do, whether it was playing with Rin, reviewing over medical records, treating soldiers, there was always something. Two weeks passed. Now, however...

My head hit the table harshly, and I didn't move from that spot. No doubt I'd just gotten ink all over my forhead, but I didn't care. It was odd, how boring the castle was without the hyperactive little girl, bouncing around and singing happily, asking to braid flowers into my hair or to go into the gardens with me. I hadn't seen much of the toad when he wasn't with her, and he ususally barely kept his conversations with me civil. Even the stoic lord, who'd stopped by the hospital occasionally, usually never saying more then a few words. Once I barely caught a glance at him as I treated a batch of guards- another 'training exercise' with their lord.

Once those three had left, the constant council meetings had been few and far between, and very few guards were hurt enough to need help. I had abolutely _nothing_ to do, aside from the occasional authentication for the kitchens. My probationary period had ended only a few days ago, and yet nothing seemed to change, aside from not seeing Ayumu always being underfoot. The other members of the staff seemed to be used to going for periods of time without their lord, the advisors making only the occasional minor decision, the guards continuing their strict shifts, the kitchens making enough food for everyone.

The third week passed, and I filled out yet another authentication. As yet another servant rushed passed the doorway, arms ladden with extra sheets, I frowned. Everyone seemed to be rushing around frantically, and everything seemed more chaotic compared to their normal behavior. The advisors could be seen scowling and talking intently to each other in the halls, servants rushed to and fro, making everything spotless, and I'd been laid down with more and more verifications from the kitchens, all ingredients and recepies for extravagant meals. Akatsuki would stop by occasionally, popping in and out at random with a cheerful grin before leaving as quickly as he'd arrived.

I puzzled over this for a moment before smacking myself, ink staining my hands and the sleeves of my yukata. Of course! I'd completely forgotten about the Solstice! That was, what, five weeks from now? I mentally berated myself for not paying attention as a clamor rose throughout the hallway. Frowning, I rose, following the sounds into the main courtyard, where Rin was hopping off of a two headed beast, landing on the absent-minded Jaken with a thump. I grinned in relief before glancing over at the large crowd of advisors, all clammering for an annoyed Sesshomaru's attention, yelling questions and demands at random. Honestly, was this how they _always_ greeted him? No wonder he'd waited so long to return. I glanced over the rest of the crowd, watching as the guards and servants that had gathered quickly returned to their duties.

Akatsuki appeared by my side, smiling slightly. "Hello Haruka-san! Sesshomaru-sama's calling a meeting... right now." I nodded, and follwed him to the council room.

**... ...**

The advisor droned on, and I tried not to yawn. We'd been going at this meeting for an hour, different advisors bringing up different problems they'd noticed while their lord was gone, said lord sitting there with a bored expression. The advisor was cut off, however, as a knock sounded at the door. I blinked as a guard poked her head into the room. Well _this_ was a first. I couldn't remember a council meeting being interrupted before.

"Atsuko." Sesshomaru said boredly, and she bowed her head.

"Milord, one of the Lords has arrived early." At once, the other advisors began talking worriedly amongst each other, before their lord raised his hand for silence, looking annoyed.

"Which one?"

"Hideyoshi-dono and Hayate, milord." At this, the other advisors shared nervous glances but remained silent. The Lord of the North? I mused "They're still on the road, but will arrive at any moment. I'll have a servant show he and his companions to their quarters to buy you and your advisors time." He nodded, and the guard quickly retreated.

"What would you like us to do, Sesshomaru-sama?" one advisor asked, actually looking worried. The white-clad lord thought for a moment before giving his orders.

"We will meet them in the courtyard and then you will resume your posts. Akatsuki, stay close to your charge." The daiyoukai looked at my bodyguard before rising to his feet, and I wondered at that last order silently as I followed the other advisors out of the room, Akatsuki right behind.

This time, when the group gathered in the courtyard, members weren't milling about randomly. Sesshomaru stood at the front of the group, standing proudly in the middle of the courtyard with his usual regal air. His other advisors were gathered behind him, standing side by side as they would have been sitting in the council room, leaving me close to the white-clad lord at the front, Akatsuki nearly right behind me. We waited in silence, not one hushed conversation or nervous shuffle to be heard as we waited for the visitors, and I wondered at the reception they would recieve. The large gate was already open, _four_ guards standing at it, with the occasional other guard walking past. I noticed that, at any given time, there were always at least three guards making their way across the yard, and wondered how strict their training would have had to have been for them to follow the routine so perfectly.

Suddenly, a flash of light illuminated the courtyard, and where there had only been an empty gate there was instead a large group of demons, all with their heads held high, haughty expressions on their faces. Two stepped forward, obviously wearing grander armor then the rest, and bowed at the hip slightly. One- the slightly older looking of the two- straightened, black hair pulled up high with a ribbon and falling to his waist, dark blue eyes crinkling at the edge as he grinned. He wore a dark blue colored kimono, an extravagant armor crossing his chest and legs, a sword strapped across his back.

"Sesshomaru!" He boomed, clasping the lord's arm in greeting. "It's good to see you again!"

The white-clad lord nodded curtly. "Hideyoshi. Hayate. You've arrived earlier then expected."

The first demon grinned good-naturedly. "Well, we heard the most _interesting_ rumors about you, Sesshomaru, and wanted to verify them." The second youkai, during this time, had been scanning over the advisors. He had long black hair- like the first demon- but his was cut to his shoulders, bangs brushed to slash to one side of his face, one lock falling in between his eyes carelessly. His face was narrow, almost wolf like, with a sharp jaw and pointed ears like the rest of his race. He wore a light orange kimono, also with extravagant armor, and a katana strapped to his waist. His eyes finally landed on me, and a wide grin crossed his face. His form blurred, and he was suddenly before me, and I heard the sound of a sword sliding out of its sheath slighlty behind me.

"Father, look! It seems that the rumors _were_ true! See here, yet _another _human!" He said excitedly, walking around me with a considering expression.

The first demon looked at me, walking past Sesshomaru to join his son. The lord raised his eyebrows, looking me over from the crown of my head to my feet. "So what we heard _wasn't_ incorrect. Have you become.. sympathetic to humans, Sesshomaru?" Contempt tinted his voice.

"Surely she's just his pet, father. She's like a cat, can't you see?" Hayate's voice spoke from behind me, and I stiffened as his hand rested on the back of my neck, keeping me in place. "Look at her eyes. And her hair color is unique, for a human, pulled away from her shoulders. And her clothing... It's obvious, is it not?" I felt my eyes chill over as the other demon laughed.

"That's true, my son. At least she's unique, I suppose. Not bad, for a human." He walked around me, nodding as he came to a stop before me, and Hayate turned me to face him, face close to mine. Over his shoulder, I could see Akatsuki visibly stiff, hand at the sword on his back with a scowl on his face.

"Silver eyes slanted like a cat's..." he muttered, and then backed away, his hand moving to rest on my shoulder as he grinned at Hideyoshi. "Father, may I?" The Northern Lord turned to look back at Sesshomaru.

I clenched my jaw, and tried to sneak out of the youkai's grasp, and his hand tightened, black eyes looking down at me in surprise. "I don't believe that I've introduce myself." I said, voice holding no warmth. "I'm Haruka, the Head Healer for the House of the West. A pleasure to meet you, _milord_." It was nearly impossible to miss the sarcasm, unless these demons were just _that_ thick. He blinked, and then grinned even wider.

"She's still got a spirit!" Hideyoshi crowed, clapping the young Western Lord on the shoulder. The white-haired demon's eyes seemed glacial as he stared at Hayate.

"I suggest you remove your hand from the hani." Sesshomaru said coldly, and the black haired demons' grins faded. Hayate hesitated for a moment squeezing my shoulder briefly before obliging and backing away, while I tried not to shiver from the chills his presence gave me. "The onna is under my protection, along with the other members of this household." he said, words sounding final, and the other lord nodded. I made a mental note to make sure to keep my poison pouch with me for the duration of their stay, just in case.

"Well" Hideyoshi said, interrupting the thick silence with a grin. "We'll find our rooms, shall we?" He immediately headed for the direction of the guest's quarters, and his son shot a look at me over his shoulder before following with the advisors. I wondered darkly how difficult it would be to poison his food tonight, not feeling guilty in the slightest.

The other advisors quickly dispersed, only a select few remaining. Sesshomaru turned towards me, face blank. "Hani." I looked up, trying to keep my anger towards the Northern heir off of my face. "Avoid those two as often as possible, and make sure to remain with others when you are around them. If they trouble you, inform me immediately." His eyes glinted slightly, and I nodded. He turned without another word, talking with another advisor.

I turned to return to my hospital, Akatsuki nearly brushing against me as he followed closesly. He didn't say anything or grin, and I had the feeling that he was going to play the part of the stoic bodyguard until the Northern lands left. As we walked down the hall, I managed to walk past the doorway to my room (had I left it open?) just in time for a pile of my clothes to be thrown out, hitting me directly in the face. I blinked, turning just in time to see the medical chest be thrown out after the pile of clothes, and Akatsuki yanked me away from the doorway, the corner of his mouth twitching as I struggled to get rid of the pile of yukatas.

I waited for the throwing to stop, walking into the doorway and scowling at the sight in front of me. Two youkai- bearing the crest of the Northern lands- were making themselves at home, one stretched out on the bed, the other unpacking a large pack.

"Just what do you think that you're doing?" I demanded through gritted teeth, and the female youkai on the bed cracked an eye open to glance at me.

"We were told that we were supposed to stay in the hospital section in case of an emergency."

"Yes. There are over fifty rooms down this hall for you to choose from. Aside from this one." I crossed my arms stubbornly, and the second demon blinked.

"Why not this one?" she asked curiously.

"Because you had to throw every object I own out of the room to occupy it. This is the Head Healer's room." I knew that I sounded slightly childish, but didn't really care at the moment.

"Oh!" the first demon laughed, sitting up. "I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding, you're supposed to join Hayate-sama in his quarters tonight." My jaw dropped, and I heard a muffled hiss from behind me.

"And he told you that, I'm to assume?" She grinned, nodding. I felt my face freeze, and left the room without a word of complaint. I bent over my traveling bag, face blank as I searched for the correct canister. Pulling out the canister and my poison pouch, I turned to Akatsuki. "You want to help?" A slow grin crossed his face, and he nodded. And that was how, late that night, the Northern Land's healers were found passed out in one of the gardens, knocked up and delerious from drugs, not rembering what happened the majority of the day. Out of common courtesy, I pinned a note to their clothes, with a quickly done drawing of a black cat and an obsene gesture- an idea spawned by Akatsuki. They certainly made sure to stay in a seperate room after that.

**... ...**

"Neko-chan!" someone said happilly, throwing their arm over my shoulder. I stiffened, not needing to turn to recognize Hayate's voice. It'd been too much to hope to go for more then a day without running into him, but I hadn't expected him to show up in the middle of my hospital in the night. _At the exact moment Akatsuki had left._ I tried to shrug off his arm, and he grinned as he obliged, following close behind as I left the hospital with a handful of authentications for the kitchens, hoping in vain that we would run into a Western guard or advisor. We didn't run into anyone, however, and I tensed as he moved even closer, leaving little space in between us as we walked side-by-side down the hall. My eyes darted around, looking for a servant, guard, _anything_ as we continued walking, seeing no one in the dark hallways. One hand drifted to the pouch at my side as the Northern Lands' heir began to speak excitedly.

"You know, it really is lucky that we managed to run into each other when your little bodyguards aren't around."

"Only if your definition of lucky is you waiting for the perfect opprotunity." I said casually, trying to edge away from him as I walked. He laughed quietly.

"Maybe that _is_ my definition of lucky."

"I wouldn't be surprised." We neared the kitchens, and I clenched my jaw when I realized that the servants that usually stayed up late in case someone wished to eat in the night weren't present, and I immediately turned around, determined to stop by the guards' quarters. Surely someone would be there? Suddenly I had an idea, and took a quick turn, heading for the western portion of the castle.

Hayate kept up with me easily, seeming to blend in with the darkness of the hallway as he walked with his arms folded behind his head, completely relaxed. I kept my hand on my herb pouch, focussed on him as we walked and I inwardly hoped that I was correct. The demon next to me hummed slightly to himself, and I had to struggle not to speed up as we walked past the library. Almost there...

"You know, it truely is a shame." he muttered.

"Oh?" I continued walking, nearing my destination.

"You really _could_ do better then a place like this." He declared, looking around distastefully. "In the eastern lands, you could have whatever you wished, neko-chan." Almost there...

"I fail to see how that could be. I have everything I need here." He flashed a grin, moving closer to me as we walked.

"Are you _sure_?"

"Quite. Now, if you'll excuse me..." I tried to walk faster, and he moved as if to grab my arm, and I could have sworn that I heard the bone in my arm creak from the pressure as he gripped it tightly and opened his mouth as if to say something. Before he could, however, a white blur flew towards him, and he was held against the wall by a striped hand as Sesshomaru growled quietly. I sighed in relief as I took in the sight of a... I blinked. Apparently my lord- for I couldn't deny that I'd accepted him as such- didn't actually sleep in his armor, and as he held the Northern demon up effortlessly with one hand, I gained a dark glimpse of the stripes slashing across his shoulders. He turned his head, and I could see from the light of the nearby lamp that there was a slightly red tinge to his usually amber eyes.

"Hani, you're unharmed?" I nodded, straightening slightly, massaging the already-developing bruise, and the demon's eyes narrowed, the red tinge turning darker. He turned his attention back to Hayate, who was scratching at his arm frantically.

"You were warned." Sesshomaru growled angrily, hand tightening. I couldn't be sure in the dark, but I could have sworn that I saw his hand glow a slight green color where it was clasped around the other demon's neck. The youkai whimpered as the white-haired demon narrowed his eyes even further. "Any other occurance such as this, and I _will_ take action." I heard a soft sizzle, and when the daiyoukai finally released his prey grudgingly, I saw that his throat was burned horribly, leaving the imprint of long fingers. "Leave." The darker demon nodded, a dark scowl on his face as he dissappeared into the shadows. It was only as I lost track of him in the darkness that I realized that I'd traded walking around in a dark hallway with a human hater to standing in the dark hallway with an _angry_ daiyoukai.

**... ...**

**A/N Le gasp! Another chapter, so soon? Yes. :3 Thank you to those of you that have already reviewed in the past day- Nizuna Fukieda and Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967- and Anonymousnyancat (my awesome beta~) For the rest of you- PLEASE REVIEW! It helps keep the chapters coming, and you can't honestly say that you aren't curious about what happens next. :3**


	8. Chapter 8

Red tinted amber eyes turned to stare at me with an unreadable expression, and I waited with muscles frozen for him to say or do something. His hair was sticking up in random directions, likely from only just now waking up, and he was wearing the white hakamas he usually wore, slightly crumpled from being slept in. Despite all of this, however, his eyes were sharp and unclouded as he looked at me, before a hand rose.

I tried not to shrink away, and the hand stopped for a moment before reaching out and poking me in the arm. I gritted my teeth, feeling pain shoot from the place Hayate had grabbed me, and Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. He turned on his heel, walking towards an open door further down the hall, turning to raise his eyebrows when I didn't follow immediately. Hesitantly, I followed, and he wordlessly gestured for me to sit down on the bed, saying a brisk "sit" before turning to rummage around to rummage in a drawer.

Returning with a flash, he stopped in front of me, wordlessly holding up a familiar canister of the healing paste I'd given him and a roll of bandages, an eyebrow raised in a silent question. I realize what he was asking, and thought for a moment before nodding.

"I'm able to use the same paste, yes, but I really don't-" I tried to rise to my feet, and in a moment his eyes narrowed, and he was a small space away, glaring glacially. I tried to slip around him, and didn't even see his form blur as I was suddenly back on my former spot, with him kneeling on the floor in front of me. I scowled mentally as I got the message- pft, you have no choice ningen.

The demon ignored my protests, rolling up the left sleeve of my yukata, trying to avoid the bruised section as he finally stopped when the bruise on my forearm became apparent. The red tint returned to his eyes and his mouth tightened as the finger-shaped bruise came into view, swelling slightly with small pricks where Hayate's claws had nicked me. He still didn't say a word as I kept the sleeve rolled up with the opposite hand, and he tore off a long section of the material with a small amount of difficulty and began applying the paste to the small wound as gently as possible.

I inwardly marveled at the moment, trying to figure out why he was going to such an amount of trouble just because of a small bruise. Then I realized, as I caught sight of the pink-tinged eyes, slowly reverting back to their usual color. He was finding something to preoccupy himself so that he didn't go after Hayate. The Northern demon had insulted him, by ignoring his wishes and going after one under his employ. It'd probably taken quite a bit of will power not to kill the lower demon for his insult, and my respect for him rose as he began wrapping the bandage with a blank expression. He did all of this with his only hand, seeming used to living without it as he paused to get more material, ripping it easily.

When he finished applying the bandage- fairly well, considering that he likely had no need of them the majority of the time- the red tinge returned to his eyes, and he looked about the room for something to do restlessly. I looked from him to the door silently before sighing inwardly.

"You know, there was a game my fellow apprentices and I used to play to pass the time. It takes some concentration to actually play correctly, would you like me to teach you?" I was pretty sure that I had the pair of cards in my pouch.. Sesshomaru looked at me in surprise, eyes considering me silently before he nodded slowly. I pulled the pack of cards out of my pouch, shuffling them as I explained the rules to him.

The game was fairly simple. There were fifty-two cards, sorted into two categories- the pauper and the nobility- with different ranked cards for both. The goal of the game was to get as many combinations of nobility cards- some of them more rare then many of the pauper cards-in the deck- together to form a full set of twenty points or as close as you could get, thus ending the first round. Each card had a worth in points, the nobility adding a variety of points, the paupers taking away points. A carefully done drawing was on each card, along with the points, and you were allowed only five cards in your hands, adding another if that number went below five. The game could go on for as long as needed, but in this case I decided just to have three rounds per game.

It wasn't a common game- most people gradually realized that they wouldn't win, or clever people would decide to find easier prey. Most of the people that actually _chose_ to play Pauper and Pompous were confident that they could win, be it that they were lucky or good enough at sneaking cards in to win.

As I sorted the thick cards, I looked around, examining the room completely for the first time. It was obviously cleaned well- papers sorted neatly on the expensive-looking desk near the wall, a simple wardrobe laying open in the corner, familiar looking armor and mokomoko resting next to the bed, two swords propped against the wall directly next to the bed, in easy reach in case of an emergency.

One thing I noticed, however, was the lack of anything on the walls. Everywhere else in the castle, banners with the western lands' symbol were hanging proudly on the wall, sometimes different colors depending on what section of the castle you were in, but there were none in here. Honestly, I'd expected _some_ kind of symbol of his authority in here.

The lord shifted restlessly, face blank as he glared at the door, and I realized that I was taking too long. Calmly, I split the deck, giving half to the demon and keeping the other half for myself. He turned his attention to the cards, drawing five for himself as I did the same, keeping my face carefully blank as I took in the cards. I flipped the first card off of my deck, revealing an oji- the prince- wearing elegant finery and staring blankly up from his card. Nine points.

He flipped his first card, revealing a sukuraibu-scribe- as he retrieved his cards from their face-down position on the bed. Six points, to start with.

I debated, and then laid down a noble- one of the cards I'd actually drawn. Thirteen points. "Turn." I said, not looking up.

There was a pause and he flicked his wrist, a diamyosho landing on his scribe. Sixteen. "Turn"

I grinned later on, as I won, two wins to one for me. Honestly, I'd been worried for a moment, expecting him to catch onto what I'd been doing from the beginning, but it seemed that wasn't the case. "A good game, milord."

He stared at the piles of cards blankly for a moment. "Again." He ordered, and I shrugged, obligingly shuffling the cards. I gave him his pile and mine, cards held towards me in my lap. We turned our first cards, and within a few cards I won the first round.

The demon's eyes narrowed, and he seemed fully concentrated on the game, eyes back to their usual cold amber color. This time, he won the last two rounds, and I felt slightly shocked. Surely that was a fluke? Sure, I'd let him win the second round, but the third was over quickly enough for me to be suspicious.

He watched me boredly with slightly closed eyes as I dealt the cards and divided the deck. It was as I began to lay down the separate decks, however, that he spoke. "Switch the decks."

I froze for a moment, and then looked up, grinning. "When did you catch on?" He didn't reply, eyes narrowed. I abandoned the deck, leaning back on my hands.

"The Pauper and Pompous." I said, smirking. "A game played by cheaters and fools everywhere."

"You being both." He said bluntly.

"Maybe. I suppose it wasn't the best idea to try it with you, but old habits die hard." I shrugged. "I told you that I practiced with my fellow apprentices. The majority of them were demons, and I learned quickly how to cheat them out of their money." He raised an eyebrow slightly.

"How?" I twisted my wrist, where a card had been laid flat against my forearm. Then I shifted, revealing the two cards hidden underneath the layer of my yukata.

"I have my ways. The entire point of the game- besides to gather points of course- is to cheat your opponent. It sounds simple, and that's how you got people to agree to play you." As I'd learned when my fellow apprentices had cheated me out of every penny I had.

I wondered, detachedly, if he would kill me for trying to cheat him, when he looked up, eyes glittering challengingly as he demanded that we play another round.

After that, he always managed to catch where I cheated, seeming to find every little card I had hidden. I smirked when I realized this, and became determined to successfully cheat during the game, failing every time. It didn't seem to have taken him long to figure out my patterns in the game, and it became a silent competition- I would try to cheat, and he would figure out how.

It was _much_ more interesting then the occasional game I'd played when passing through villages, and I couldn't help but grin when I left a few hours later, card deck still clutched in my hand. Glancing back over my shoulder, I saw that the lord was still sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the door. I cheerfully made my way back to the hospital, where a no doubt frantic Akatsuki was likely waiting for me, mentally running through a list of possible excuses.

**... ...**

I sighed as I looked over the garden with a frown. Nearly all of the herbs I'd brought with me had been used up in the past battle- we'd been running low with those herbs to begin with, so it hadn't taken much to use up the remaining stock. It wouldn't be difficult to find the correct supplies, most of the villages I would have to visit were fairly close, and I knew who to ask for the majority of the herbs. Even so, would I be permitted to leave with our guests present? At the thought of the Lord and heir of the Northern lands, I scowled.

Today had been even worse then yesterday, with either Hayate or Hideyoshi showing up at every turn, grinning widely and with a new comment on what they believed my 'role' in the castle to be. The former always managed to show up when there was no chance of Sesshomaru seeing him, and didn't seem deterred in any way, despite the harsh burns on his neck where he'd been attacked, still unhealed. Maybe I could take advantage of needing new herbs... I hurriedly left the garden as a plan began to form.

I grinned as Akatsuki and I walked through the huge gates, the sky still dark as we quickly made our way down the path. He'd been ecstatic when I told him about my idea, and had immediately taken off to notify our lord. Within the hour we were on our way to the village I had in mind- nearly a day and a half's trip, me carrying my all-but empty bag as we began a supply run. It wouldn't be a long visit, but it would at least be a short reprieve from the members of the Northern lands.

**... ...**

"Er, Akatsuki..." I said hesitantly, and he turned completely around, walking down the path backwards as he grinned cheerily.

"Yes, Haruka-san?" I looked around at the forest around us, none of which looked familiar. I'd stopped recognizing our surroundings over an hour ago, but assumed that the demon knew where we were going. I was beginning to doubt that, however...

"You _do _know where we are, don't you?" My suspicion was confirmed when he stopped, looking around us with a bewildered expression.

"Not really, no. But that's why you're the one leading the way." He said cheerily, and I shook my head, feeling the straps of my bag digging into my shoulder.

"Wouldn't I have been in the front if I was the one giving directions?" He shrugged, and I sighed, rubbing my forehead. We'd gotten in and out of the village with little difficulty, the demon paying for the supplies without blinking an eye, and I mentally raised my eyebrows, wondering at the Western Lands' funds, but didn't comment. Now my bag was weighed down with the herbs I'd bought, and Akatsuki had immediately led the way cheerily, me following behind unthinkingly. Thus, our current situation.

He turned and continued walking down the path, whistling cheerily. After a few minutes the sounds stopped, and he turned to look to our right with a frown, sniffing slightly. Suddenly, he spun, beaming happily.

"Actually, Haruka-san, I think that I _do_ know where we are!" He looked up at the sky for a moment. "If we leave quickly, we should make it within a few days. Somehow we've been going in the completely wrong direction!" He smiled cheerily, and I looked at him curiously.

He turned, arms held out behind him with an expectant expression, and I shook my head. "Nah, I don't really want to get back to the castle any time soon. Besides, I'm kind of curious about what you're so concerned about." For a moment his smile faded, before he shrugged, looking slightly worried.

"You said the other day that you were a healer, and didn't pick fights unnecessarily. Remember, Haruka-san?" He said blankly, a smile covering up whatever expression would have otherwise been on his face.

"And I was speaking the truth. But I have the feeling that you aren't actually worried about me jumping into a fight." I scanned over his face in curiosity, eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm assuming that you're hearing something that I can't. Maybe.. there was a battle earlier, and you don't want someone attacking us?" I guessed, but the only sign of recognition was when I mentioned a fight, and I narrowed down my list of theories. .

"Or... there was a fight, and you recognize one of the scents and want to get away before they recognize you and pick a fight..." This time there wasn't even a small flicker. "No? There was a fight, and...someone was wounded?" He opened his mouth to say something before stiffening, eyes darting to the same direction as before and his form blurred. I held on tightly as he darted away, the trees where we'd been seeming to explode as he jumped onto a nearby tree.

A huge demon fell to the ground, his head rolling several feet away. A smaller and more humanoid demon stood there, weapon in hand as he looked up at us, grinning. "Akatsuki!" He yelled cheerily, waving slightly before a second demon appeared behind him, swiping a huge claw at him. He turned quickly, slicing the demon in half with a flourish. I felt Akatsuki tense, dropping down to the ground below and letting me down behind him. The other demon sheathed his sword, grinning widely as he held out his arms warmly.

"I certainly wasn't expecting to see _you_ so soon!" He yelled, clasping the demon on the back. The youkai before us had dark auburn hair, cut short in the back and bangs framing his face, falling to his jaw at the longest. Light-looking armor covered his torso, spiked shoulder guards covering his shoulders- the same style as Akatsuki's armor, I noticed- went over the dark green kimono he was wearing, a white leaf inscribed on the chest plate. Green eyes sparkled happily as he grinned, fangs flashing.

Akatsuki was still positioned firmly in front of me, his face turned away as he looked at the demon in front of us. "Hello, Ryouichi-san." The other demon waved his hand dismissively.

"None of that now, we've known each other for far too long for formalities." Something moved behind him, drawing my shocked gaze to the fluffy tail behind him, the same auburn color of his hair, swishing lazily. "What brings you into this area? Did you decide to come back after all?" I saw Akatsuki shake his head above me.

"I received a promotion. Bodyguard to the Head Healer."

"Oh, I _heard_ that the Western Lands recieved a new healer. There're all sorts of rumors flying about on the subject. Takahiko-sama was eager to meet him." Blood was still splattered across his face as he smiled excitedly. "So how great is this one? Are they some noble from a lesser youkai family? One of the more outlandish rumors said that he attacked the castle, and Sesshomaru-sama assigned him as the healer because of his skill with poisons." The orange-haired demon's shoulders shook, likely from laughter.

"Nothing so grand, I assure you." Gee, thanks. "_She's_ very competent, however. Uses eastern healing techniques." Ryouichi nodded in satisfaction.

"Her, hm? Well where is she? My lord would just _love_ to meet her, especially when he hears about you being assigned to defend her." He sniffed slightly and frowned, leaning to the side. "Ne, why do I smell a ningen?" He looked around curiously, and I was slightly surprised that he hadn't noticed before now. The demon blood must have been interfering with his sense of smell.

Akatsuki tensed, hands spreading outward slightly as he asked calmly. "So why're _you_ here? Shouldn't you be defending Takahiko-sama?"

The other youkai shrugged, still looking around. "We're camped nearby. I was sent to scout ahead."

"You're early." The tailed-demon winced slightly.

"Milord heard that Hideyoshi planned on arriving early, and hoped to beat him here so that he actually had the _chance_ to meet the Western Lands' new employee." He turned, dark green eyes curious. "Speaking of, where is this healer? If you're here, surely she's nearby?"

I stepped out, bowing slightly at the waist as Akatsuki shot me a look. "Hello, I'm Haruka." The youkai looked surprised for a moment before grinning, holding out a hand.

"And what would you be? Have you decided to start dallying with ningens, Akatsuki? Naughty naughty." I inwardly rolled my eyes.

"As I said, I'm Haruka, under the employ of the Western Lands." Blech, what a mouthful. Would I have to introduce myself as such every time? The demon raised his eyebrows quizically.

"Employed... You wouldn't happen to be the head healer, would you?" I nodded, and he burst out laughing. "An interesting joke, Akatsuki. I'm surprised you went so far to fool me." he chuckled slightly, running a hand through his hair. "I was almost fooled for a moment there." Akatsuki looked bemused as the other demon laughed.

His easy grin, however, immediately disapeared as Ryouichi frowned and leaned forward, lightly grasping the identification necklace around my neck. As his hand touched it, the metal lightened slightly, a light blue color seeming to shine off of it. He read the inscription with a blank face, raising his eyebrows slightly as he looked at me. Akatsuki seemed tense as he waited, and the auburn-haired demon grinned.

"Interesting! Takahiko-sama will be _very_ interested in meeting you! Haruka, if I may?" He grinned, holding out a hand, and I stared at him blankly before accepting it. Akatsuki, however, intervened, hand grasping Ryouichi's arm tightly.

"Why don't you lead the way" the Western demon said, grinning good-naturedly, "And I'll follow behind with Hani-sama." The other demon nodded after a moment, grinning.

"Only if you can keep up!" He then disapeared, and Akatsuki all but slung me over his shoulder, leaving me to hang on tightly as he ran through the forest. I grumbled mentally as I bounced on his shoulder, watching the foliage fly by behind the demon as he dashed through the forest, and wasn't expecting him to stop as suddenly as he did, making a surprised sound as he quickly let me fall to my feet. He grinned sheepishly as I glared, smoothing my yukata.

Someone nearby cleared their throat, and I turned to see a camp full of youkai watching us, half with curiosity and half warily. Several had been in the middle of various duties- caring for their weapons or monitoring the area, and a small group was seated on a branch of a large tree, it's branches spread out to cover the entire area. When I took a closer look, I realized that they weren't necessarily on a branch- it was a platform, made of several smaller and intertwined branches, woven together to form a stable walking surface. I stared at it in fascination, noticing that there were also vines and vibrant flowers growing along the huge tree, making it seem chaotic and vibrant. I doubted that it had occured naturally, but it was amazing all the same.

My attention was forced back to the youkai as one stood, staring down at us curiously. The youkai leapt down from the platform, landing easily and with a slightly extravagant flourish.

He was also wearing the light armor with shoulder guards that the other demons wore, but his armor seemed more extravagant, a bright blue sash going across his chest, the same colored sash holding a katana to his waist. He wore an earthy green kimono, the sleeves stopping just below the shoulder guards, bringing out his vibrant _red_- not the red I'd seen before, the ones that were dark with streaks of dark red- this was a vibrant, solid, deep red, like something you'd see in a deadly exotic flower. It was styled in such a way that the hair spiked outwards, some sections shorter and going straight out, others longer and curling inwards, giving a chaotic feel when you looked at him. He looked very young, with a narrow and angular face, almost fox-like, and blue marks curling up over his forehead from his temple, two others curving over his cheeks from his jaw bone.

The youkai's face lit up when he saw Akatsuki, grinning widely. "Akatsuki! It's good to see that life with Sesshomaru hasn't changed you too drastically." He said cheerfully, looking the demon up and down, seeming to practically _radiate_ chaos and cheerfulness.

The orange haired demon nodded, looking like he was fighting a smile. "Sesshomaru-sama isn't as bad as you think, Takahiko-sama." The Eastern lord shrugged, bright turquoise eyes landing on me. He tilted his head to the side, his gaze darting down to the identification necklace, then to the crest on my yukata, and the close proximity Akatsuki was keeping, ready to retaliate if attacked.

"Could it be?" He said excitedly. "Are you.. Sesshomaru's new healer?" I nodded hesitantly, and he clapped, reminding me of an energetic child. "Fantastic!" he suddenly appeared before me, pulling me toward the tree. "You really _must_ tell me how you got such a position. It must be quite the tale, considering his views."

I felt a small tug, and in a flash we were on the tree platform, surrounded by vibrant colors and flowers. There wasn't any variation in them- some were healing plants, others were popular ingredients for poisons. Some were human, others seemed to move and shift as youkai plants tended to do. He pulled me toward the ground, sitting cross legged and leaning forward eagerly. "So, little ningen, how did you manage to wind up in Sesshomaru's care? Oh, and what's your name?"

I blinked, surprised, and hesitantly began to answer his questions. The lord was completely different from Sesshomaru. He never seemed to sit still, fidgeting, pacing, making odd gestures, he was always doing something. Where my lord would sit still and listen with no expression, he made comments, asked questions, made esaggerated sounds in response. Sesshomaru was blank and suspicious, with his long white hair and cold amber eyes, maroon slashes on his cheek bones and crescent moon on his forehead, painfully white clothing and formal armor. He was organized, formal, grudgingly concerned. Takahiko was brightly colored and chaotic, with his short red hair and neon eyes, curving blue markings and brightly colored kimono, with no semblance of order or strictness. It was like comparing polar opposites. The Eastern and Western Lords were like personifications of their roles- nothing alike, opposite ends of the spectrum.

"Hm. So Hideyoshi and his son already beat us? And what did you think of them?" He leaned against the base of the tree, the plants around him seeming to reach out to brush against him.

I hesitated for a moment, considering. "They have the opinions of humans I'd expected Sesshomaru-sama to have. Apparently they mistook me for the castle's... entertainment." He laughed loudly, nearly doubling over. Akatsuki seemed only a little more relaxed then before, looking used to the Eastern lord's personality.

"Oh, that sounds like them. You seem to have survived the ordeal, however." he grinned.

"I was trying to avoid them. Poisoning the Lord and heir of the Northern lands _probably_ wouldn't help convince you and the Southern Lord that the Western Lands were peaceful."

"Ha! I imagine that Katsurou would congratulate you!" He suddenly looked up sharply, and then rose to his feet. "Well, we'd better start moving if we want to arrive by tomorrow." He said cheerfully, leaping down from the platform, his advisors following. Akatsuki grabbed me, leaping off after them, just as the branches began to unravel. The other soldiers immediately went to action, blurring about as they made sure to collect all that they'd gathered, and Takahiko turned around with a frown.

"Come now Hani, or you'll get left behind!" He then turned and began running at full speed. Akatsuki grinned sheepishly at me, shifting his sword to his waist and kneeling to let me scramble on, the straps of my bag still weighing down on my shoulders. He took off the moment I managed to get on, hands making sure that I didn't fall as he ran to keep up with the Eastern lord.

As Takahiko had said, we wouldn't make it before late tomorrow, but we were still making much better time then Akatsuki and I had made before. Everyone chattered around us- more so then the western guards had when around Sesshomaru- while Akatsuki merely kept pace with the group easilly, seeming slightly at ease.

**... ...**

**A/N Thank you Nizuna Fujieda, cleareyes25, Arvael, Ironhide and Lennox, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, and y0ur-DoWnFaLl for your reviews! ^_^ Kukuku, another demon lord has made his entrance, any opinions on the Eastern troops and lord? Also, I tried (and most likely failed) to hint at Akatsuki's past a little in this chapter. Did anyone catch on? :D**

**Well, I'll try to cut this annoying Author Note short. As always, reviews are appreciated, and I don't care what you say in said review! :3**


	9. Chapter 9

... ...

"Ah, Haruka-san... what are you doing?" Akatsuki eyed me warily, the boar dropping on the ground unceremoniously as he eyed the herbs in my hand. Ryouichi appeared beside him a moment later, grinning triumphantly.

"You've gone soft, Akatsuki. I've been here for over a half an hour, your Hani's already started on my kill." At this, a dull horror seemed to fall over the Western demon's face before he calmly began taking the animal off of the fire. "What are you doing?" The other demons looked up from what they were doing in curiosity, watching as Akatsuki tossed it over his shoulder, looking queasy.

"I'm preventing a war between our lands. Perhaps you should keep Haruka-san away from the food?" The other demon looked at me in confusion, curiosity filling his face.

"But she's a guest! Not only that, a healer! Surely she's a proficient cook?" Akatsuki shook his head weakly, horror filling his face.

"_Don't_ ask her to cook. She's a good healer, certainly, but _don't_ let her try to add any spices." He shuddered slightly and I huffed.

"I told you, it's healthy for you to eat! Plus, it tasted fine to me!" He deadpanned.

"You could have killed me."

"There was absolutely nothing wrong with that meat. It had the exact same ingredients used in the kitchens." He shook his head.

"No more cooking for you Hani." The demons all looked surprised, and I heard Takahiko speak up, appearing next to me.

"Surely she isn't _that_ bad?" he asked curiously, head tilting to the side. Akatsuki shuddered violently and mutely shook his head, walking away to dispose of the animal.

... ...

"Neko-chan!" Hayate yelled, grinning broadly as he met us at the gate. "Naughty little neko, leaving without any warning. I didn't have anything to entertain myself." he pouted, but kept a careful distance between us as Akatsuki remained tense right behind me.

"I needed a new supply of herbs." I replied simply, shrugging as Takahiko strode up, gripping the other demons' forearm.

"Hayate! So good to see that you again! I've heard about the mischief you've been up to." He said, shaking a finger.

The other demon started to speak, but the Eastern Lord's attention had already gone somewhere else, his face lighting up. "Sesshomaru!" He lunged foreward, latching onto my lord's arm and shaking it, grinning broadly. "It's amazing to see you again! I've met your new hani-amazing girl, I can completely see her charm, horrible cooking skills though. How've you been?"

The white-haired demon merely nodded. "Takahiko." Golden eyes met mine for a brief moment, surveying both I and Akatsuki before scanning over the others. The red-haired demon laughed, throwing an arm over the other demon's shoulders.

"You really haven't changed too much. We have quite a bit of catching up to do though, ne? Have you heard from Katsurou yet?" Sesshomaru nodded.

"He sent word ahead. We were here awaiting both of your arrivals." The Eastern Lord clapped, practically jumping as he turned on his heel.

"Alright, everyone but the advisers find some lodgings! Guards, to the barracks, choose a room for.." As he relayed instructions hurriedly, Akatsuki lightly pushed me forward, and we joined the group of advisers behind Sesshomaru, many shooting me disgusted looks. I realized that I was covered in dust from the path, complete with the occasional stain gained from sleeping or kneeling on the ground, and looked distinctly worn from traveling. No wonder they seemed put out.

While the Western Lands stood at attention, standing in assigned places behind our lord according to rank, the Eastern Lands were spread out, dressed in odd finery and talking excitedly amongst each other as we waited. Takahiko bounced on his heels in excitement, craning his head to see the last lord arrive first. Hayate and Hideyoshi reclined against a building, their advisers relaxed at their side.

Much like when the Northern Lords arrived, the Southern Lands appeared all at once, just inside the gates. There was a brief pause before a man and woman strode ahead of the group, tailed by two younger demons. She wore a fine kimono, accessories shining in her light grey hair, jeweled pins holding it up- amongst the rest of the jewelry she wore, it was a choker necklace, a magnificent green gem at the center, that caught my eye. The man wore a simarly fine kimono, but with heavy armor worn over it, an axe and a sword at his hip, short dark grey hair cropped away from his face. Brilliant yellow-green eyes shone from underneath his short bangs- piercing yellow eyes surveyed the scene before them as the woman scanned the crowd. Green markings slashed over her eyes, horn-like markings disappearing into her hairline. The other two demons- a man and a woman- had the same hair as their mother, and their father's piercing eyes.

They stopped a short distance away, the woman nodding with a coy smile. "Sesshomaru. It seems that we're the last to arrive."

He nodded. "Katsurou, Ichiro. Arriving early seems to be a popular occurrence this year." At this the woman- Katsurou-laughed, hand gripping her husband's arm lightly.

"Are you honestly surprised, considering the rumors? The great Sesshomaru, hater of all ningen, the stoic 'killing perfection,' having a human amongst his advisers?" Her eyes landed on mine and her mouth tilted upwards. "Ah, and a woman at that? Curious." She didn't step forward, but observed me from that distance for a moment before turning her attention back to Sesshomaru. No big scene, as the other lords had given. Interesting.

"I hope you don't mind," she continued, stepping closer to him. "I took the liberty of inviting a friend of mine. Whether or not she shows up is another thing entirely, but I felt that you should be warned. Now, what about our lodgings? I'd like to be settled in before dinner." She breezed past Sesshomaru, the crowd parting around her. And thus the last demon Lord arrived.

... ...

It was odd- to say the least- having all of the demon lords in the castle. They'd only been here for a few hours, and yet the Southern and Eastern demons insisted on being shown around the garden and hospital. Naturally, this would have ended with me being their personal guide, showing them practically the entire castle. Which is my justification for handing them over to Akilah and going over the medical requests of the kitchens in a quiet corner of the hospital. I added the herbs Akatsuki and I had gotten to the garden, and was just skimming over the records of the other three lords when someone made their presence known behind me.

"You seem very dedicated to your work at least." An amused voice stated, and I calmly turned to see the Southern Lord's daughter standing in the corner, hands folded in front of her and with an amused smirk. She wore far less jewelry then her mother, a few jeweled pins holding her light grey hair up, markings swirling on her cheekbones and forehead. I nodded curtly in response to her statement.

"I doubt that I'd have been hired if I wasn't willing to work. And I wouldn't have accepted if my work didn't interest me."

"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow slightly. "But why accept employment from a known human hater?"

"Why not? His _willingness_ to hire me- especially considering the high rank it entailed- interested me. The fact that he was a lord ensured that I would rarely be bored." I shrugged, flipping through another sheath of papers as I talked.

She laughed. "Boredom? That's your reasoning?"

"I need a reason other then that?" I picked up a new set of papers.

"I suppose not." she tilted her head to the side. "Still.. surely your reasons have changed by now? You've been here for several months- I can't help but wonder if that's all it takes for Sesshomaru to gain your loyalty."

"Respect? Yes. But loyalty.. Hm. Yes." There was a pause as she waited for more details, and soft laughter when none were forthcoming.

"You know.." she began, walking languidly around the room, examining a tapestry on the wall. "My mother has no predgduces against humans. She'd be more then willing to give you the contacts you'd need to excell in this position. For a price, of course."

"Oh?" I read a bit slower as I listened intently, facts still racing by.

"She's very interested in your Lord. His dislikes, his opinions, preferences, thought process... she wishes to know it all, in order to predict him better. Such knowledge could help form a stronger alliance with the Western Lands. Perhaps even help form a familial union?" She trailed off, waiting for a response.

"... Hm. I suppose that information would be rather valuable to your Lands. Especially if you were hoping to predict his reaction to a proposition of marriage between him and yourself." From the corner of my eye, I saw her nod enthusiastically.

"Exactly! I- and, indirectly, my mother- would like _you_ to provide this information. With our help, we believe you can rise fairly high in the hierarchy of our culture. Even as a human, with the right connections you could gain a certain reputation amongst other nobles, those that influence the other lords. This will prove invaluable later on, no?" I glanced up at her through my bangs.

"I'm a healer- I don't really need any of that. I have several connections to others through my former master." She seemed surprised for a brief moment. Too purposefully delayed- she was making sure that I saw that expression.

"Ah, but even as a healer you'll need political connections. I've heard that you traveled around before this- by making connections with the right people, it will be easier to travel through other regions for your lord. Not to mention that- if you gain a reputation for your methods- you'll get all sorts of interesting cases. They would be unique, and would also gain some allies for Sesshomaru. This wouldn't _only _benefit yourself, Haruka-sama."

I flipped to another paper, reading more medical information for the Eastern Lands. "And how would you suggest that I get this information that's so crucial to your cause? As you pointed out, not only am I a human healer, I've also only been here for a few months. It will take years to gain anything useful." She smiled, confident now.

"Not so. You've already gained the trust of his men- they wouldn't have allowed you to treat them at all if that weren't the case. It'll take time, certainly, but it's doubtful that you'll be suspected. You're a fairly blunt and truthful person." The rustle of paper stopped as I looked up.

"So you're betting purely on the _possibility_ of me gaining trust and _maybe_ learning things about Sesshomaru that no one else knows?" She smiled in bemusement.

"You won't exactly have anything to lose then, ne? It's not as if this information will harm him- if anything, it will gain him several allies." I stared at the cieling for a moment, considering. "You can even have some time to decide, if you wish. But let's keep this out of your lord's ears, ne? That would be rather embarrassing. If you'd like to accept, just come to me or my brother- Suzune and Makoto. We'll be in the courtyard garden." She smiled one last time before leaving, and I stared at the wall for several minutes before getting back to my work.

... ...

I didn't bother disguising myself as I walked down the hall, stopping before the huge wooden doors, feeling hollow as I debated. I lifted a hand- still covered with dirt and ink- and knocked on the door. It opened almost immediately, the white-haired lord standing there with a sword in hand, golden eyes alert and wary. I inhaled and held up the spare pack of cards. "Care for a game milord?"

He stood there for a moment, considering, before turning and walking into his room. I took this as acceptance and hurried in, closing the door gently before following. He sat on the bed, one leg propped up and swords next to him as he watched me approach. I gingerly sat on the other side, shuffling the cards slowly as I felt my fear grow. No, not fear... extreme nervousness? Yes, that sounded better. The odds were more in favor of him not believing my motives and either killing me or taking away my position. It all depended on whether he decided that I was lying now or after he demanded to hear Suzune's side of the story and decided that he'd rather believe the heiress of the Southern Lands.

"Onna." My head jerked up. "Deal the cards." I inhaled again and nodded, dividing them up, making sure to put more cards in one stack. He ordered for the decks to be switched and the game began.

"Turn. I was asked to gain your trust and relay information to another Lord." I said, laying down my card and feeling my stomach drop.

"Turn. By whom?" Amber eyes burned as he stared me down and I fingered my cards.

"The Lord of the Southern Lands. Turn. She offered me influence in exchange for information that would help them predict your future moves. Apparently she wishes to form a marital bond."

"Doubtful. Turn. What information, specifically?"

"Turn. Personal preferences, thought process- for now, at least. I wouldn't be surprised if those demands would change once I involved myself in betrayal." He hesitated for a moment before laying down a card.

"Turn. Who were you to report to? And you will relinquish the extra card you just picked up." I obeyed, putting it to the side.

"Suzune or Makoto. Turn. Suzune approached me in the hospital and gave me time to decide."

"Hn. Turn." He leaned back against the wall.

"Turn. I don't think that I'm the only one who was approached."

"Explain. I win."

I laid down my cards, turning to stretch out my legs for a moment. "There's no point in approaching me. I've been here for little more then four months, and have gained very little trust during that time. You're well known for hating humans, and they haven't exactly gained a good reputation for being trustworthy anyway."

"You believe that you were meant as a cover for the true spy."

"Yes. Another game, or am I to go on headless?" He gestured for me to deal, staring stoically as I shuffled the cards. "You were already aware of this."

"Hn. The hospital is not an ideal place for betrayals to take place."

"But you didn't know about the other deal?" I didn't bother announcing my turn, laying down the card silently.

"No. Newer employees are watched closer then others." I nodded, relaxing slightly. We played silently for a moment. When I reached for another card, however a striped hand grabbed my wrist firmly. Amber eyes were narrowed as they met mine.

"Why did you tell me this Hani? What do you have to gain?" I'd thought about that all day before coming here. What _did_ I have to gain from telling him? I hadn't even thought that he'd believe me, and endangering myself for no reason wasn't something I did. I could have just turned her down and moved on. So why?

"Nothing." I said slowly, working through it as I spoke. "I was curious about what you would do. Take on the Southern Lands on the word of a ningen with no proof or believe an employee who has no reason to lie? Go with what's rational or what's convenient? And now I know." I shrugged, staring at his hand calmly as I waited for it to let go. Instead, it tightened minisculy.

"And what was the purpose behind _getting_ that information?"

"There was none. Just curiosity." I looked up, staring up calmly as he worked through that statement, working through any possible ulterior motives, actions that would require that information. He let go and reached for his cards silently.

"Put that card to the side Hani."

... ...

**A/N I'm extremely sorry for the long delay, and I promise to update as soon as possible. Thank you Nizuna Fujieda, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, Arvael (the winner of an Akatsuki plushi :D), NarcissusXX, Eva Sirico, and Dontgotaclue88 for your reviews! And thank you my dear shadow followers who don't review but still favorited and signed up for alerts for my story! So, opinions on the newest demon lord? Which is your favorite? Opinions on Haruka's character? Predictions? Please share! As ever, please review with your opinions, and I'll update soon!  
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	10. Chapter 10

It was, for once, slightly comforting that Sesshomaru could remain stoic no matter what situation occurs. Had I been working for a human lord, they wouldn't have been able to resist making their knowledge known, or telling too many people his information, resulting in _everyone_ within a mile knowing- yet another reason for my preferring to work under a demon. Whereas my lord didn't look even slightly fazed as he conversed with Katsurou, not even blinking as Suzune smiled warmly at me from further up the table at her mother's side.

I nodded slightly in return and went back through the rules my master had set for nobles. I remembered being wacked none too many times for slouching, and tried not to slink lower in my seat as the Lady of the Southern Lands herself looked my way as well. I clenched my hand and relaxed it in my lap, biting back the accusation just aching to be shot her way. Politics- why had I signed up for this again? Or better yet, feighned sickness?

"So tell me." Katsurou said, voice rising only slightly to reach my place amongst the other Western advisers. "What has brought on your sudden appreciation for humans?"

The white-haired lord didn't react, eyes levelled at hers. "Nothing. Humans are weak and disgusting creatures." Her eyebrow raised, linking her fingers together, elbows resting on the table.

"Oh? Then why hire one as your Hani? The girl makes a sick sort of sense, considering her age, but the Hani? Does she not meet these expectations?"

"Hn. That has yet to be seen. Thus far, she does not seem like her unsavory kin."

"Hani-san, what is your opinion on ningen?" the male, Mokoto, asked curiously and a kernel of suspicion began. I shrugged anyway, glad for a subject I could speak truthfully about.

"Other ningen are vain and greedy. I think that he's correct." Surprise flashed across his face before he leaned forward, an eyebrow raising. It was eerie how much the move resembled his mother.

"Oh? You'll forgive me if I don't believe that to be your true opinion. I don't suppose that you have any reasons..?"

"I travelled for a while before working here- ningen willingly kill each other for minor grieviences or gain, rarely bathe, sometimes don't even stick up for themselves, and I've had to clean up the results of their mistakes constantly." I shrugged, taking a small sip of the tea before taking a larger drink.

"But surely you don't prefer the company of youkai over ningen? Your lord is a rare youkai, and many others have views much more violent then his own."

"I'm aware. I've had more youkai aquantices than ningen- there are exceptions to every rule, along with a significantly larger group that takes predjudices a bit too far. That's true for both races, in my opinion, although it's a bit more common in ningen." At this, even the other lords looked in my direction, incredulous.

"Now _that_," The Lady of the Southern lands began, interest lighting her eyes. "is _quite_ the theory. And very rational, for a ningen."

"Interesting." One of the other lords muttered, nearly too quietly for my hearing.

"A ningen-hating ningen." Hideyoshi crowed, delighted. "Wherever did you find such a rarity Sesshomaru?" The other lords began speaking in quick, low tones, not bothering to slow down as they had when speaking to me. After years of living with youkai who'd done the same at all times, I could still vaguely understand what they were saying.

I barely focussed on the conversation, focussing on the plate in front of me boredly. And there went what would possibly the only reasonable conversation I would have for the duration of the Lords' stay.

**... ...**

"What are you doing?" a curious voice asked, and I mentally cursed as my hand slipped, cutting deeper then intended into the plant in front of me. Immediately, a bright red liquid spewed from the incision point, closely followed by it's fellow plants nearby doing the same in defense to what they assumed was an attack as my hand shot in front of my face. My skin began burning slightly as I spun around, intent on lashing out at the stupid- I stopped as I met a pair of calmly amused yellow-green eyes.

Suzume covered her mouth as she took in my appearance, looking like she wasn't sure whether to be amused or disgusted. I sucked in my breath slightly, fighting not to yell anyway as the burning grew. I nodded curtly, resisting the urge to brush the rancid liquid onto her clothes as I brushed past. She made sure that I could hear her footsteps as she followed, stopping just outside my door as I closed it slightly and changed, rubbing furiously with a rag at my skin to get all of the traces off.

"I apologize for startling you Hani." she said, speaking through the wooden door. Doubtful, I snorted mentally. "I was merely hoping to recieve your answer to our offer...?" I dug through my bag, pulling out some dried herbs and grinding them into a nearby bowl I'd been meaning to return to the kitchens. Anything to avoid the demon outside my door.

"I've thought about it." I called out, adding in some water and stirring quickly.

"And?" She said expectantly. I downed the drink and shuddered as the burning slowly abated. Close enough.

"And.." I opened the door, and Suzume turned away from my desk with a smile, hands smoothing her dress. "I refuse." I stated casually, remaining in the doorway.

There was a small pause before Suzume spoke sharply. "What?"

"The risk would bee too high, and I'm not nearly as stupid as you made me out to be."

"I don't understand..." she said, slightly slowly. "Why would you deny our offer? It asks for very little, and-" I didn't think before interrupting her.

"You approached me in one of the most frequently passed-by and visited places in this castle, asking me to betray my lord, who is admired by everyone employed here. You didn't lead me to a more secluded place, and didn't seem even remotely concerned over my being the newest and least-trusted employee of the castle, particularly by Sesshomaru-sama." I walked over to my desk, relaying what I'd noticed yesterday and what I'd been told. "You didn't even attempt discretion while making your offer _or_ today around others. Also, you wouldn't need personal information to make a union of your lands through marriage or for any other union." I frowned, shuffling through the papers and listening closely for her reaction.

There was a brief pause before she replied, her voice cool. Blank. "And you're certain about your decision, Hani-san?"

"Yes." I turned to look at her directly- there was no point in looking from the side if she would notice anyway. She stared at me stoically for a moment, considering, before a slow smile crept onto her face. It wasn't the polite mask from before- this smile bordered on feral, markings glowing slightly. In that moment, she switched to the exact thing that ignorant people pictured all daiyoukai to be.

"You know, the influence you could have gained through us would have been invaluable to a ningen such as yourself. But angering me, my mother? That isn't the best idea. I believe that you gained your position by treating an illness that was only contractable for ningen, ne? Your kind are so very weak in comparison." She moved around the room, eyes fixed on the diagrams on the walls

"Is there a point to this? Or am I allowed to return to my work?" I asked boredly, and she glanced at me from the corner of her eye.

"Merely that angering a lord isn't the best way to begin your career. Especially considering the differences between ningen and youkai systems. It's so simple elimating one of you by mere accident." Her posture changed slightly, the air around her seeming to shift in one moment. "Particularly for ones as young as yourself and the little girl- Rin? Neither of you have much training against attacks, which are common amongst others seeking a political advantage over Sesshomaru." She smiled innocently.

"Hm."

"It's foolish to threaten an employee and ward of the Western Lands in his own home, Suzume-sama." Akatsuki spoke up, and she turned, feigning surprise.

"Threaten? I was merely stating facts, Akatsuki-san. I apologize, I didn't see you there." He smiled slightly from his position in the garden, arms folded against his chest- just as he'd been for several minutes, which she'd no doubt noticed before I had.

She turned to leave, all of the danger from before gone as she shot one last look at me over her shoulder and left.

**... ...**

I frowned, muttering darkly as I tossed more papers onto the ground. If it had fallen out, surely it would be here? I knelt down, spreading out each paper and skimming over them. "No, no, to be looked over later-" I put those papers into a different stack. "No, trash, no, trash, trash," I swore quietly and opened my book, looking over the section again. "Nothing!" I got up, eyes fixed on the ground as I walked through each room.

"Ah, Haruka-san?" A hesitant voice asked from the doorway and I vaguely gestured for them to walk in, leaning into my room for a moment.

"Hm?" I shook my head, running a frustrated hand through my hair. "Yes?" I attempted to remain civil as I glanced at the newcomers. Akatsuki sat in the corner, head turned toward the door curiously. One of the demons from the Eastern Lands standing there, eyeing me warily. I groaned inwardly. "Look, if you need help with _anything_, I'm sure that Akilah can help you. He's more then happy to help at any hour of the day, don't hesitate to interrupt what he's doing to ask a question." She looked confused for a moment and looked at Akatsuki, silently asking him for guidence. I looked along the floor again, frowning and flipping through my book. Maybe they were just in another spot...?

Akatsuki laughed as my attention drifted away. "Don't mind Haruka-san, Natsuko-chan. She's a bit irritated at the moment. Something about loosing her notes?"

"I did _not_" I huffed, skimming through a second time. "lose my notes. They just happened to escape from the binding of my book. And their current location eludes me at the moment."

"You rely on a book to know your medicines?"

I shot her an incredulous look before turning back to my desk. "Of course not. But-" I shook my head. "Did you need something? Petty theft isn't really something you should worry about."

"I... Akatsuki? May I speak with you a moment?" she asked uncertainly, and there was a pause before I heard him stand up.

"We'll be right outside, ne?" I nodded and heard her speak quickly and quietly outside. I snapped, diving for the medical chest.

"I know you're here somewhere..." I muttered, thumbing through some of the papers. If I'd put them back and forgotten, surely they'd be here. "Kuso. Oh!" I rose to my feet quickly, practically running to my room. Akatsuki would be able to find me if I was needed.

I tore through the room, yanking clothes out of the way and tossing papers to the ground. I paused for a moment, considering, when my eyes widened and I dove for the pile of nearly forgotten clothes in the corner. Old kimonos and yukatas flew across the room. An old poison pouch, a worn pair of shoes, even the burnt and tattered remains of the robes that I'd burned on my first day here. But my notes were no where in sight.

I ran a frustrated hand through my bangs, eyes searching my now ruined room, and I kicked lightly at a nearby pile. At the kick, old herbs and pouches rolled out, along with another object, light bouncing off of it, glittering brightly from its place on the ground. I frowned, kneeling down and plucking it up from the ground, feeling a sense of deja vu as I held it up to the light.

I remembered doing this exact movement before, before I'd even taken this position- the day that Akatsuki and the imp decided to recruit me. I tilted the sliver slightly, watching in interest as the light around it warped, seeming to be absorbed into it. At my touch, it almost seemed to darken in color, becoming a deep, dark pink. For a moment I could have sworn that I heard voices whispering, offering power... my eyes narrowed, and I tucked it into my pouch, nose wrinkling as my skin crawled. Whatever it was, I probably shouldn't leave it somewhere that Rin could pick it up.

I heard the sound of someone clearing their throat, and Akatsuki spoke up cheerfully. "Have you found your notes yet, Haruka-san?" I shook my head, distracted.

"What was that about?" I asked vaguely, noticing that the other demon was gone. He shrugged, sniffing slightly as his eyes darted around the room.

"Natsuko-chan just wanted to catch up. It's been a while since I transfered." I nodded, walking past him and automatically heading for the library. He followed behind closely, curiosity covering his face as he looked at me. "Haruka-san? Was someone in the hospital with you when I left?" This caught my attention, head turning quickly to look at him.

"Someone... no, why do you ask?" He shrugged, and my mind worked furiously. So maybe it _wasn't_ my imagination- the jewel could have some kind of demonic traits, enough to attract Akatsuki's attention. I grinned inwardly. Interesting.

**... ...**

"You know, I could help you if you told me what you were looking for, Hani." Akatsuki said helpfully from his position in the corner, and I shook my head preoccupiedly.

"It's not here..." I muttered, sliding the next scroll towards me.

"Haruka-san, you've been researching for nearly an entire day. Perhaps if you took a break, bothered to sleep or eat something..?" He pointedly held out a plate, and I shook my head with a grin.

"This is fascinating. Besides, I don't need to eat yet." Another scroll, written in a different handwriting.

"Haruka-san, how long have you been here?"

"Several hours. _You _can leave if you prefer, but I've finished my work for today and tomorrow- I have plenty of time to research."

"Research what, exactly?" He leaned against the table, looking slightly annoyed and still holding the plate of food.

"Something interesting." I muttered. "Hm, close, but not enough." I grinned slightly.

"You've been here voluntarily for hours without rest or eating, skipping your meals without finding what you're looking for, and you're _smiling_?"

"Apparently. Is the only reason you're not insisting because you're waiting for someone else?"

"Is there a reason that you avoid questions involving whatever you're looking for?"

"Curiosity." I frowned slightly, finally looking up. "What, exactly, bothered you earlier when you walked into my room? Did it smell odd? Did you sense or see something?" His face went blank, and he stared at me for a moment before replying.

"For one thing, that was yesterday Haruka-san. Who was in the room with you? As your body guard, I'm required to know."

"No one was in the room with me. What did you smell?"

"As an employee of the Western Lands, you're required to tell an official- namely myself- if anyone appeared to threaten you in any way or attempted to convince you to betray the Western Lands." His eyes narrowed uncharacteristically.

"Which I did when approached by Suzume. No one was in the room, why do you think there was?" I pressed, and he just shook his head with a rueful smile.

"Nothing, Hani-san." I opened my mouth, angry, when an amused voice spoke up from the door of the library.

"And here I'd thought that you would have changed a bit by now, Neko-chan." I stiffened before scowling.

"And I'd thought that I could avoid you, Katsu. Were you actually allowed into the castle?"

**... ...**

**A/N Thank you Aku Tora, FantaC Luvr, akakusomerusora, OCDingshutin, animeloser101, 88dragon06, Dontgotaclue88, and Nizuna Fujieda for all of your reviews! I'm really glad to hear that others like Haruka as a main character, and I'm always willing to hear opinions and ideas for the plotline! So now a figure from Haruka's past has shown up, she's royally angered the Southern Lands, and discovered a new mystery that will wind up badly for her, what do you think? Predictions for the future? Comments on characters? Even guesses at what's happened in the past? Please share! **


	11. Chapter 11

I rose, turning to face him directly and scrolls left forgotten behind me. The demon laughed, flipping a lock of hair out of his face as pupil less green eyes crinkled at the corners with his smile.

"We both know the answer to that." Something caught his gaze, and in a flash he was in front of me, ignoring Akatsuki standing right next to him with his weapon drawn as he picked up my necklace with a single finger. "'Head Healer of the Western Lands Haruka.' And here I thought that you weren't interested in titles." I shrugged.

"How could I pass up the opportunity? Did she send you?"

"Hm." He didn't move away, and Akatsuki remained poised to attack as he still considered my tag of employment. "I'm sure that our master would have come herself, had she known that you were employed here. Don't you think so, Rei-chan?" My attention didn't waver from the demon before me, muscles tense. His gaze lifted, meeting mine fully. "No doubt she'll be interested to hear that."

"No doubt."

"Hani-sama." Akatsuki spoke up calmly, not even hesitating with his honorific. "Care to introduce us?"

"This is Katsu, an apprentice to Chiharu. You've heard of her. She has a tendency to sneak into places- the more difficult to enter the better- and it seems that this is a trait she's passed onto her second favorite student." Katsu raised an eyebrow, mimicked by Akatsuki.

"Second?" he muttered, before addressing the Western bodyguard. "Our master sent us on her behalf, apologizing for not arriving in person as Chiharu-sama had intended."

"We're going to have to meet with Sesshomaru-sama about this. Haruka-san, will you vouch for him?" I looked up, frowning. He just kept his gaze leveled, and I saw Katsu mimic my expression.

When Akatsuki didn't explain, I raised an eyebrow. "There's no need for me to- Chiharu-sensei likely sent some sort of identification with them to confirm that he's her assistant." But why would my word matter? I silently wondered as my guard turned to Katsu for confirmation. The other healer looked thoughtful, wordlessly taking out a sealed package and handing it to Akatsuki, staring at me in curiosity. I shrugged and turned back to my research.

"Haruka-san, I'm leaving another guard with you for a moment. Try not to get killed!" I nodded, immersing myself in my work as I heard them leave. If there really was a guard left with me, he didn't say anything, and I read in silence for several hours.

... Akatsuki's PoV ...

"The letter looked legitimate to me, Sesshomaru-sama, but I figured that you'd want to see it yourself." Akatsuki leaned against the wall, watching as his lord's eyes flicked over the paper quickly. When the daiyoukai finished he sat there, eyes narrowed as he considered.

"Chiharu's apprentices slipped onto the grounds?" Akatsuki nodded.

"They weren't detected, but I'll find the hole. We wouldn't want the other lords to hear that we have a security flaw." He grinned, and his lord nodded.

"Have them kept under watch in the hospital wing, and inform me when you find how they entered without being detected." Sesshomaru's tone was dismissive, and he cleared his throat slightly.

"Actually, I don't feel comfortable having them too near Haruka-san." The dog demon raised an eyebrow. "When they arrived, they immediately sought out Haruka-san in the library. They seemed to know each other."

"From where?"

"Most likely they were both apprentices. Haruka-san recognized him just from his voice, and they immediately began taunting each other."

"But she hasn't told you directly?" He laughed slightly.

"No, she avoids talking about herself too much if she can help it." His lord nodded slightly, as if remembering this to be true. Akatsuki started to bow and leave, but hesitated. "Sesshomaru-sama... there's something else. It could be nothing." There was silence as the daiyoukai waited for clarification. "I left Haruka-san alone for a moment, and when I came back there was a lingering demonic presence. I recognized it, but I couldn't figure out who it was from- whoever it was, they weren't someone who'd been here recently. I can recognize everyone who is visiting at the moment with the lords by their yoki to an extent, and it didn't come from any of them."

"Was there a smell? What did the hani say?" Sesshomaru demanded, face intent as he leaned forward in an uncharacteristic display of emotion.

"There was a slight smell, but that could have been caused by the yoki, and she refused to tell me. She looked as if she was hiding something and looked excited- afterwards she went off into the library, where she's been for days. She wouldn't even leave to escort her former ... colleague. After not finding anything, she demanded to know what I sensed."

Sesshomaru remained seated, not revealing anything in his expression as he stared down at his desk in thought. "It's too soon for him to be the cause." Akatsuki nodded, knowing that it wasn't a question.

"By a few years. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't make sure." His lord nodded.

"Keep an eye on the hani at all times. Inform me the moment you discover what she's researching." Sesshomaru leaned back in his chair, tone dismissive as his eyes fixed on the door. Akatsuki nodded and left quietly, leaving his lord to his thoughts.

... Haruka, 1st person PoV ...

"Ha!" I threw down my last card, posing triumphantly as Katsu scowled. "What was it you said about the inferior race?" I asked smugly, scooping up the candies piled in between of us.

"Cheating ningen." He muttered as the other demon, Rei, began shuffling the cards.

"Loser youkai."

"Western bitch."

"Weird-eyed bastard."

"As if you can talk, manuke."

"Second favorite."

"Not after you left."

We glared at each other for a moment before he pressed the decks down on the floor, and there was a flurry as we fought for the first pick of the decks. He pushed me out of the way with a smug grin and drew his hand, covertly slipping a few extra cards.

"Has she been just as bad as before?" I asked, laying down a card.

"_Our_ master was heart-broken when you left. She abandoned Jirou and another the week afterwards."

I snorted. "She was ready to kill me anyway, I just made it easier for her."

"You still had several years with us at the least." He rolled his eyes and finished his turn.

"Maybe. Perhaps I was tired of staying in one place."

"You always were one to chase after puzzles. But why the Western Lands?"

"That seems to be the question everyone's concerned with at the moment."

"Hm. It's uncharacteristic for Sesshomaru to take on a human employee. From what I've heard, such a thing hasn't happened since Sesshomaru was a child."

"I saved his ward when his original healer was the cause of her illness."

"Even so, you confessed to not liking to stay in one place." He leaned forward, teeth flashing as he grinned. "Come now, what puzzles have you been focused on? They must be interesting, for you to be so intent on staying here."

I shrugged. "I want to know why Sesshomaru-sama decided to hire me. And if an estate full of youkai can accept a high-ranking ningen adviser tasked with caring for them when they're ill. You've also seen the garden, not to mention the _much _more interesting encounters I have here."

"The lords, perhaps, but that's not the only reason." His head cocked to the side, eyes narrowing in consideration. "You were arguing with your guard when I arrived."

"And there it is." I laughed slightly as I shuffled the cards again and Katsu retrieved my previous earnings. "You're far from a subtle eavesdropper." He shrugged, smiling lightly.

"I don't need to be subtle, and you wouldn't appreciate that anyway. You wouldn't argue with him unless you were having problems solving your puzzle. Perhaps I could help you, if you told me what was wrong."

I leaned back, considering. Katsu was often more intelligent than I, and was likely more in touch with current events. The worst he could do was tell Akatsuki or Chiharu about my puzzle, which wouldn't do much if I had my answer. "Fine." I slipped my cards under my leg and reached into my pouch, unwrapping the tiny shard hidden inside. The moment I pulled it out his green eyes widened almost comically, flashing forward until he was face to face with the shard.

"Now _where_ did you get that, Haruka-chan?"

"I found it in the middle of a barren field shortly before being attacked by an oni." He whistled, still staring intently at the shard. "It gives off a demonic aura, absorbs light, attempts to coerce you with an aura of power, and I'm fairly certain that it's darkened. There's likely some kind of spirit involved." I twisted it, watching as the light bent into the jewel shard.

"And you honestly don't know what it is?" He raised an eyebrow without looking up.

"I don't see how I could. And if I did you would never have seen it." He nodded, finally looking up to meet my gaze considerately.

"I'm surprised that you haven't heard. But then, you never were one to listen to idle rumor. The shard-hunting group? Sesshomaru's half-brother? Reincarnated priestesses? I figured that those rumors would attract your attention."

"Do tell." I tilted my head to the side, ignoring the slight barb.

"Fifty years ago, a priestess and a half-demon fell in love- Kikyou and Inuyasha. The priestess was the assigned defender of the Shikon no Tama. You've heard of that, yes?"

I rolled my eyes. "Priestess Midoriko, village of demon hunters, souls leaving chests- of course I've heard of it."

"She was the only priestess with the spiritual power to purify it. She decided that she could get rid of it forever if she made a pure wish- namely, for her lover to wish to be turned into a full human so that they could live long and dull lives." I snorted.

"In what way is that a pure wish? She's wanting him to be human for her own sake, so that she won't have to deal with her duty and couldn't accept that she was in love with someone not completely human." He shrugged.

"You humans aren't well known for thinking things through. Anyway, he agreed. But on the day that she agreed to bring him the jewel, he attacked her. She lived long enough to shoot at him and pin him to the Tree of Ages, and then died, her body burned along with the Shikon no Tama. Fifty years later, a girl in odd clothing appears in the Bone Eater's Well, looking exactly like the late priestess and with spiritual powers that she had no training with. She freed Inuyasha, and a demon tore out the Shikon no Tama of her body. It was smashed, she joined up with the half-demon and a small group of warriors, searching for the shards of the Shikon no Tama. Another powerful demon is also currently looking for it, and is a sworn enemy of your lord. Each shard can imbue you with power, or you could control others through it. With all of them together you can make any wish you desire. What you have in your hand is a shard of the Shikon no Tama."

"Huh." I looked at it in interest. "Well that's not nearly as exciting as I thought. I was hoping that it was cursed." He laughed.

"Well, you certainly won't get bored with that around. I'm surprised that you haven't been attacked already, carrying that around." I shrugged, tossing it into the air and catching it. The Shikon no Tama... he sighed suddenly, snatching it out of my hand. "If you're going to keep it, at least hide it better." He tugged the comb out of my hair, holding the shard over the engraved surface. His hand glowed slightly, brow knitted slightly as he focused and then moved his hand closer. The metal pooled around his fingers, opening up into a cranny just big enough for the shard. He set it inside gently, the metal compressing around it, making the jewel seem to be a natural fixture. It glowed a dark purple for a moment- _a darker color than before, interesting_- before dulling, appearing to be just another jewel.

"I'm fairly certain that you just set me up to be attacked for my comb." He laughed outright, tossing it back to me.

"I'm interested in how you'll handle having a dangerous jewel imbedded in your second most prized object." He grinned, fangs flashing again. "Besides, our master's going to be pissed when she sees that you tampered with her gift." I groaned, putting my hair back up easily. Who knows, maybe I'll be even more entertained by people looking for quick power.

We played in relative silence for another few hours before Katsu finally rose, back popping audibly as he stretched. "Don't worry Neko-chan, I know that you ningen need more sleep."

I remained sitting, reclining back on my hands. "I look forward to winning again tomorrow."

He snorted, gathering his winnings in one hand as he began to leave. "Goodbye, bitch."

"Ijiwaru."

"Kusogaki."

"Kuchikitanai."

"Hetakuso." He made a rude gesture as he left.

... ...

I massaged the bridge of my nose, attempting to concentrate on the papers in front of me as my eye lids threatened to droop.

Colors, sensations, memories- those where what I usually remembered at night. I would work through the day, my thoughts tinted with colors and feelings as I examined everything, but I couldn't remember a single time that I'd dreamed of something that I hadn't heard or seen. But this time... those words still echoed in my head.

_"It's always the same. _You're_ always the same. No matter what I do, nothing changes- We meet, we bond, and then..." _I swore slightly, fumbling around in my memory for the rest of the sentence. And then... what? Those words were the only substantial thing that I remembered, aside from a pang of dread at the thought. That phrase, though... It may be slightly useless without the full thing, but it was odd that I'd heard it at all.

If I concentrated, I remembered little snippets of my dream- a flash of red hair, laughter, brief glimpses of my own face and a blue moon. Something to do with Akatsuki or Sesshomaru perhaps? But if that were so, why would I hear my lord's voice saying that. I'd wracked my brain all day, and couldn't recall his _ever_ saying something that vague and slightly irritating. I made a frustrated sound, running a hand through my bangs before hearing something rustle pointedly behind me.

"Hani." a cold voice said, and I inwardly shook my head at his timing.

"Milord. Planning another training exercise?" I turned, forgoing the papers as I leaned against the desk. He stood several feet away, not shifting in any way as he shook his head.

"I've been informed that you have been hiding information from your guard." he said bluntly.

I reached back, picking up a sheaf of papers and flipping through them idly. "I heard an interesting rumor and wanted to look into it. You've heard of the Shikon no Tama?" I glanced up, seeing his eyes narrow at the word.

"Yes."

"I heard someone mention something about a cursed jewel recently and hadn't heard anything about the recent events surrounding it." I made a mental note to make sure that the kitchens didn't use blood root in the meal they were planning- some of the eastern advisers were fox demons, and their yoki could react strongly to the herb.

"You were looking in old scrolls."

"I wasn't sure about which cursed jewel it was. There are quite a few around at the moment."

"And the presence in your room that Akatsuki sensed?"

"I was tossing objects around, some of the plants spilling everywhere likely released something similar to yoki. Convincing Akatsuki that he had a security problem was just amusing."

"You remained in the library for several days." His eyes narrowed further, and I looked down, focusing on the papers in my hands.

"I needed an excuse to avoid the other lords." There was a brief pause, during which the only sound was the rustling of papers and the faint sounds of the guards training.

"Lying to me is foolish and unnecessary." He said blankly, voice firm and slightly cool.

"Maybe. I'm more interested in how you knew that I was lying." He didn't reply, and his eyes didn't waver in the slightest when I looked up to meet his gaze. "Don't worry, the only security flaw you have is the one that Katsu came in through. I wasn't contacted by anyone while Akatsuki wasn't present." There was another pause before he nodded.

"You are to inform me if such a meeting occurs." He ordered, and I nodded obediently, returning my attention to the reports.

"Of course."

"You will also fulfill your duties as a hani before throwing yourself into personal research." At this I looked up from the plans for the meals nearly a week from now, confused.

"I've finished going through all of the records from the three lords and their servants, along with approved the ingredients and recipes from the kitchens for the next several days. I made sure to complete my duties early."

"You were told two days ago that later today you were to accompany a hunting party done traditionally by each lord. Judging by your appearance, you have not prepared in the slightest for this event." I froze, papers forgotten in my hands as I met blank golden eyes staring at me levelly.

"When did you inform me of this?" I asked, and he raised an eyebrow.

"A message was given to your assistant, Akilah." I stiffened and felt a quick flash of fury before I got it under control. He watched impassively, not missing anything as he remained near the doorway.

"Really?" I asked, attempting to sound just mildly interested. Judging by his look, I most likely didn't succeed.

"You were not informed of this?" I didn't bother with a verbal response, setting my shoulders back as I carried the stack of papers into my room. I didn't hear him follow, but I didn't doubt that he was.

"How long are we supposed to be gone, when are we leaving, and what are the risks of attack?" I fired off, not looking back as I opened the chest in the corner of my room and placed the papers in their rightful place- it was too risky keeping it out in the open while the other healers were here.

"We leave in two hours, and will be gone for three to six days, perhaps longer. The hunt is fairly unpredictable, it will be difficult to predict the treatments that will be necessary."

Two hours. I could do that, if I worked quickly. "Are there any specific things that are possible? Certain poisons, anything?" He didn't reply, and I shrugged. I would just have to take everything, I suppose. I grabbed two bags full of canisters and as walked past the daiyoukai, I remembered my dream from before. Was it worth asking?

"So." I said, working to sound casual as I dove into the garden, harvesting herbs here and there and placing the appropriate amounts in canisters. I already had many medicines prepared and residing in the store room, but I couldn't be caught unprepared. "I can't be sure, but have we ever met before I worked here?" There was a brief pause as I dug my hands into the soil. Akilah could carry both bags for his little passive-aggressive hissy fit.

"Of course not." He nearly scoffed behind me.

"Huh. Really?" I felt the beginnings of a headache begin before images flashed through my head.

"What are you hinting at ningen?" I didn't miss the purposeful demotion he gave me as I kneaded the bridge of my nose for the second time today.

"Do you recall..." I remembered a sharp, clear image. "a garden?" even to me my tone sounded uncertain. "Red exotic flowers, blossom trees, furs on the ground.." Golden eyes, for once peaceful and... happy? "a little girl and boy sitting amongst the flowers, laughing as they .. as they... " I groaned slightly, rubbing my forehead harder.

I saw flashes- _dark brown wood, rough against my fingers. "I wonder what happened here?" And then it caught my eye- a patch not quite like the others. The wood was carved away, an entire section gone- too large for it to be natural. _"The tree... something's wrong with the tree. What is that? Why do you..." _Horror filled his eyes. "Sesshomaru?" My fingers brushed against the carving, curiosity filling me as he didn't respond, eyes fixed on the wood as he grabbed my arm and pulled me away. _

I heard a faint voice, sharp and urgent. "Hani?"

"What is that?" I muttered, repeating the question almost frantically. I know that symbol, what was it? It was the reason... "That symbol..." A hand grasped my shoulder, jerking me upright- when did I double over?- and white filled my eyes. No details, and I mentally cycled through causes for blurry vision.

"Hani." This time the voice was clearer, cutting through the memory harshly. For a moment I was trapped in the memory, details emerging more and more vividly before something struck me in the face and my head jerked back.

... ...

I blinked once, twice, feeling as if I'd been drenched in water as the memory faded as quickly as it had come.

My head pounded as my mind worked sluggishly to tell me what was going on. My head lolled on my shoulder for a moment as I worked through what I was processing. Sesshomaru was in front of me, eyes narrowed and hand gripping my forearm tightly. Something odd was in his eyes, a familiar look that was gone before I could recognize it.

"Milord?" I asked calmly, wincing as my head pulsed fiercely and rotating my jaw as I felt a dull pain begin to grow there. "Is there a problem?" He immediately released me, backing up.

"You're well Hani?" I tilted my head to the side, watching in curiosity as he stared back impassively. Why had he...? I lifted my hand, probing at my jaw as it pulsed again, demanding attention. I frowned as I encountered a rather large bump along my right jaw and cheek, the faint taste of blood still lingering in my mouth. Just when had I fallen on my face?

"In theory. Did you hit me?" He shook his head.

"You became dazed and fell, striking the floor. You've been sleeping fully?"

"Aside from the odd... Yes." I tried to shake off the sluggishness. "I believe that I had an odd dream this morning, but I don't remember it." He stared at me for a long moment silently.

"You will meet the others in the courtyard in an hour." He ordered and I nodded.

"I look forward to it." I turned, returning to the garden.

He didn't respond, and I looked back briefly before sagging against the wall briefly as weakness assailed me. Something had happened... I made an annoyed sound as I struggled to remember something, anything, and coming up with nothing.

**... ...**

**A/N Thank you OCDingshutin (I love your review! Did this meet your expectations? Was there enough weird friendship with Sesshomaru and Haruka? Don't worry, there will be more. ;D) Dontgotaclue88, lexiwolf, Nizuna Fujieda, 88dragon06 (Yep, Sesshomaru wins most of the time, much to Haruka's dismay. And as for the notes... :D) animeloser101, Eva Sirico, and FantaC Luvr for all of your reviews! I really appreciate it! So there's no possible way that you aren't all curious about what's going on with Haruka. Any theories on the future or what's going on? Also, before anyone asks, it has nothing to do with with Haruka being psychic. No weird powers for the Hani~~~ Please send me your theories and opinions! :D**


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